AirAsiaX in dual safety probe

[flee 5]

AN official investigation has begun into two "serious" incidents involving Air AsiaX passenger jets that dropped to unsafe heights over the Gold Coast last week.

 

Both incidents are alleged to have happened when the crews of the 330-seat jetliners lost visibility while searching for the airport.

 

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which investigates breaches of air traffic regulations, last night declared both incidents "serious" in a posting on its website.

 

Full Report: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/airasiax-in-dual-safety-probe/story-e6frf7jo-1225864760063

 

ATSB investigation: http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2010/aair/ao-2010-027.aspx

[Geoff R. 0]

"..... lost visibility while searching for the airport." - What some journalists write

 

Reading the ATSB web page which states a similar incident happened the day before I was wondering if it could have been the same aircraft on both days.

 

Also I wonder just how close to disaster these event were.

 

Awaiting report.

 

 

Geoff

Edited May 10, 2010 by Geoff R.

[flee 5]

I was wondering if it could have been the same aircraft on both days.

This reports suggests that it was the same aircraft: http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2010/05/11/216545_gold-coast-news.html

 

OOL does not have ILS - so it may be a bit tricky to land under bad weather conditions.

[Mohd Suhaimi Fariz 2]

This reports suggests that it was the same aircraft: http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2010/05/11/216545_gold-coast-news.html

 

OOL does not have ILS - so it may be a bit tricky to land under bad weather conditions.

 

It's an international airport and it doesn't have ILS?

[Aaron Goh 1]

I think they probably meant "busted minimum radar altitudes"......sounds like altitude bust.

[Naim 6]

This reports suggests that it was the same aircraft: http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2010/05/11/216545_gold-coast-news.html

 

OOL does not have ILS - so it may be a bit tricky to land under bad weather conditions.

 

Yes landing at OOL in cloudy weather is indeed 'exciting'. Approaching from the north, the plane skirts the beach to the right, then a quick right and left before landing. During that maneuver, if no cloud the gound looks very close because there are hills. See this vid:

 

It's an international airport and it doesn't have ILS?

 

No ILS. Once I was at OOL to catch a flight to Christchurch and bad weather came in. All flights diverted to Brisbane. Luckily ours was after the bad weather left, so only slight delay.

[flee 5]

D7 must look into this matter seriously as it is clear that SOPs have not been adhered to. Fortunately we avoided disaster like the one that involved the Polish President's TU-154. Flying below the permissible height is dangerous and can be deadly!

[Izhar Z 1]

I'm not really well-versed in this, but did the condition only affect D7? Was it because of the aircraft? How about other airlines?

[Ganesh.r 0]

D7 reply

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/airasia-x-defends-planes-flying-too-low-20100512-ux4v.html

 

 

AirAsia X defends planes flying too low

May 12, 2010 - 2:57PM

AirAsia X has defended the conduct of its pilots amid a probe into why two passenger flights dropped below safe altitudes over the Gold Coast.

 

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) says the incidents are "serious" and subject to a full investigation.

 

Registration records show one of the planes was an AirAsia X plane, enroute from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

 

The 330-seat Airbus dropped "below the radar lowest safe altitude" over the Gold Coast at 7.30am (AEST) on May 4, the ATSB said.

 

At the the time, the plane was flying on instruments due to poor visibility.

 

The ATSB said it was also investigating a similar incident involving the same aircraft type on May 3.

 

AirAsia X chief executive officer Azran Osman-Rani said passenger safety was never at risk during either incident.

 

"We do not believe that passenger safety was compromised at any time and landings were performed normally under guidance from air traffic controllers," he said in a statement.

 

"AirAsia X has been advised by the ATSB that this is a routine investigation only.

 

"We have supplied our flight data which they will then analyse and compare with air traffic control data to find any anomalies."

 

AAP

[Radzi 2]

VOR / DME approach? Could be a database error.

 

Maybe it was the computer that was flying the aircraft at that time, rather than the pilots.

[Aaron Goh 1]

It's an international airport and it doesn't have ILS?

 

Its not really that "international" Only international flights it have are D7 and flights to NZ.

[Kee Hooi Yen 0]

Its not really that "international" Only international flights it have are D7 and flights to NZ.

 

JQ also operates flights to Japan from OOL

[Naim 6]

"AirAsia X denies flying too low when approaching Gold Coast"

 

See: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/5/13/business/6250830&sec=business

[Geoff R. 0]

“To say we are putting passengers at risk and flying below the radar is completely incorrect. The landing was smooth and we are transparent and that is why we are sharing all the flight data. We will fully cooperate with the ATSB,'' Azran said.

 

 

The ATSB obviously believes the aircraft did go lower than it should have therefore by definition passengers were being put at risk, however small that risk may have been. "The landing was smooth...." very good but totally irrelevent to the incidents and investigation.

 

It's rather sad that Azran is trying to play down these "serious" incidents before the investigation is completed.

 

I look forward to reading the ATSB report.

 

Geoff

[Waiping 12]

Now how much would the US intel pay to have D7 fly below radar at Pyongyang?