6 FAILED LANDINGS. Can it Land the Seventh Time? - Jet Airways 555 | Runway 34

Wyngx2 minutes read

Jet Airways flight from Qatar struggled to land in Trivandrum due to bad weather, circling for over 2 hours with low fuel levels, and facing challenges due to pilot experience gap, leading to an emergency landing. The Air Accident Investigation Branch highlighted the lack of policy on go-arounds, poor decision-making, and recommended additional training for pilots on low fuel scenarios.

Insights

  • The Jet Airways flight from Qatar to India faced multiple challenges including poor weather, a lack of ILS, and low fuel levels, leading to critical decision-making situations for the pilots.
  • The incident highlighted critical issues such as the impact of circadian low periods on pilot performance, the necessity of updated weather reports, and the importance of clear policies regarding fuel levels and diversion procedures to ensure passenger and crew safety.

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Recent questions

  • What challenges did the Jet Airways flight face during landing?

    The Jet Airways flight from Qatar to India encountered difficulties landing in Trivandrum, Kerala due to severe weather conditions and the lack of Instrument Landing System (ILS). The pilots attempted to land the plane six times, circling for over 2 hours, and were critically low on fuel with only 10 minutes left. The age and experience gap between the captain and first officer added to the challenges, especially during the circadian low period between 2am and 6am, which could lead to drowsiness and compromised decision-making skills.

  • How did the Jet Airways crew plan their trip?

    The crew of the Jet Airways flight planned their trip based on a weather report created 10 hours ago, with Cochin having good weather conditions and Bengaluru chosen as the alternate airport. The fuel calculation for the trip included various components such as taxi fuel, trip fuel, contingency fuel, alternate fuel, final reserve fuel, and additional fuel for possible rerouting or poor weather. Despite facing challenges during the landing attempts, the crew remained confident in their ability to land at Trivandrum as an alternate airport.

  • What factors influenced the decision to divert to Trivandrum?

    The decision to divert the Jet Airways flight to Trivandrum was influenced by several factors. After two Air India Express planes reported difficulties landing at Cochin, the crew decided to make a second landing attempt. Trivandrum was chosen as an alternate airport due to the possibility of additional holding time, despite the maintenance of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the airport. The deteriorating weather conditions, with low visibility and low clouds, further reinforced the decision to designate Trivandrum as the alternate airport.

  • What led to the Jet Airways flight declaring a 'MINIMUM FUEL' state?

    The Jet Airways flight declared a 'MINIMUM FUEL' state and initiated emergency landing procedures when the fuel onboard decreased to 2644 kilos after spending additional 30 minutes holding over Cochin. The crew faced challenges due to poor visibility and weather conditions, leading to the critical fuel situation. The lack of an official policy on the number of go-arounds allowed at an airport and poor decision-making in redesignating Trivandrum as an alternate airport during bad weather were highlighted by the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AIBB) in their investigation.

  • What recommendations were made by the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AIBB)?

    The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AIBB) highlighted several key recommendations following the incident involving the Jet Airways flight. They emphasized the importance of having a policy on the number of go-arounds allowed at an airport, as well as the need for additional training on low fuel scenarios and decision-making for pilots. The AIBB also pointed out the poor decision-making by the crew in redesignating Trivandrum as an alternate airport during bad weather. These recommendations aimed to improve safety measures and decision-making processes in similar situations in the future.

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Summary

00:00

Jet Airways Flight Struggles to Land

  • Jet Airways flight from Qatar to India is struggling to land in Trivandrum, Kerala due to terrible weather and lack of ILS.
  • The pilots have attempted to land the plane six times, circling for over 2 hours, and are now critically low on fuel with only 10 minutes left.
  • The flight is carrying 142 passengers and 8 crew members on a Boeing 737-800, powered by two GE CFM-56 turbofan engines consuming 500 kilograms of fuel every 10 minutes.
  • The captain, 40 years old with 6700 hours of flying experience, and the first officer, 25 years old with 1500 hours of flying experience, are facing challenges due to the age and experience gap.
  • The flight, scheduled during the circadian low period between 2am and 6am, may lead to drowsiness and compromised decision-making skills for the pilots.
  • The crew planned their trip based on a weather report created 10 hours ago, with Cochin having good weather and Bengaluru chosen as the alternate airport.
  • The fuel calculation for the trip included taxi fuel, trip fuel, contingency fuel, alternate fuel, final reserve fuel, and additional fuel for possible rerouting or poor weather.
  • The flight attempted its first landing at Kochi airport but had to go-around due to reduced visibility and fog, leading to a diversion to Trivandrum.
  • Trivandrum was chosen as an alternate due to the possibility of additional holding time, with the crew confident in their ability to land there despite ILS maintenance.
  • After two Air India Express planes reported difficulties landing at Cochin, the Jet Airways crew decided to make a second landing attempt.

13:06

Jet Airways Flight Faces Fuel Emergency Landing

  • Second landing attempt executed at 5:47 am, fuel onboard at 3919 kilos
  • Minimum fuel required for Bangalore was 3306 kilos
  • Concerns raised about diverting to Trivandrum due to visibility and weather conditions
  • Decision made to designate Trivandrum as the alternate airport
  • Kuwait Airways plane also executed a go-around due to poor visibility
  • Weather conditions deteriorated further, visibility at 1500 meters with low clouds at 400 feet
  • Captain decided to attempt a third landing at Cochin, then divert to Trivandrum if necessary
  • Jet Airways had no official policy on diverting after two go-arounds, left to pilot's discretion
  • Plane spent additional 30 minutes holding over Cochin, fuel decreasing to 2644 kilos
  • Crew declared 'MINIMUM FUEL' state, initiated emergency landing procedures

25:31

"Airline safety recommendations after near misses"

  • The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AIBB) highlighted the lack of policy on the number of go-arounds allowed at an airport, poor decision-making by a crew in redesignating Trivandrum as an alternate airport during bad weather, and recommended additional training on low fuel scenarios and decision-making for pilots. Jet Airways ceased operations in Summer 2019, with the aircraft involved in the incident being sold to Brazilian operator GOL. The importance of caution in poor weather was underscored by an incident involving United 1448, where passengers and crew found themselves on an active runway facing an oncoming jet.
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