Here's what CAA says caused near midair miss at Lanseria airport

10 March 2022 - 08:00
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Two aircraft were too close to each other as they approached the runway at Lanseria International Airport last month. Stock image.
Two aircraft were too close to each other as they approached the runway at Lanseria International Airport last month. Stock image.
Image: 123RF/anyaberkut

An incident last month which saw two aircraft only 152m apart approaching the Lanseria International Airport runway was caused by air traffic control initially allowing both aircraft to approach the runway, before instructing the smaller aircraft to break off the final approach.

This is according to the preliminary serious incident report issued by the SA Civil Aviation Authority on Wednesday.

The CAA said the investigation is ongoing and the investigator will be looking into the loss of separation of the small aircraft and a Boeing 737-800 operated by Comair which may or may not have safety implications.

The CAA said on that day, two pilots and two crew members aboard a McDonell Douglas DCS-TP67 took off on a local flight from Lanseria International Airport to Magaliesburg general flying area.

Upon return from the general flying area, the pilot flying the McDonell Douglas requested a simulated Area Navigation (RNAV)/Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) approach for Runway 07.

The air traffic control approved the request and cleared the aircraft.

Another aircraft, the Boeing 737-800 with two pilots, four crew and 108 passengers was also due to land at the airport.

The Boeing aircraft contacted air traffic control at the airport and requested a right visual approach for the same runway.

The air traffic control cleared the Boeing for the right visual approach.

Air traffic control then instructed the smaller aircraft to vacate the runway, allowing the Boeing to land.

The small aircraft completed three circles before landing.

Neither aircraft was damaged during the serious incident and no-one was injured.

“The reduced separation ... was caused by (air traffic control) clearing (the Boeing) for right visual approach instructing (the McDonell Douglas) to break off final approach and reposition to left downwind.

“This resulted in a much faster aircraft (the Boeing) being behind a slower aircraft, as well as being 500 feet apart,” the CAA said in its preliminary report.

TimesLIVE


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