Student pilot has lucky Escape
A student pilot narrowly missed crashing into hangars at Gold Coast airport, an Australian Transport Safety Bureau report says.
The safety bureau report, which was released today, found that a A Cessna 172, struck the ground and nearly crashed into hangars while undertaking a landing on Gold Coast Airport's shorter cross runway 35 in February this year.
The release of the report follows an incident earlier this month when two pilots were praised for making a textbook emergency landing when the landing gear in a Beechcraft 58 Baron aircraft failed.
The safety bureau report said the student pilot, who was being guided by an on-board flight instructor, was returning to the Gold Coast when they received an initial air traffic control clearance to land on Runway 32 (the southern end of Gold Coast Airport’s main runway).
About 40 seconds later, the pilot was redirected to land at the shorter Runway 35 at “best speed”.
Then, when the Cessna was at about 1000 foot high and 1.9 nautical miles from Runway 35 threshold, air traffic control directed the aircraft to maintain ‘best speed all the way to crossing the runway’.
The instructor, who was unsure how to comply, directed the student to reduce the throttle to idle and lower the aircraft’s nose.
“The aircraft subsequently passed about 100 ft above the runway threshold at about 25 knots faster than the normal approach speed,” ATSB Director Transport Safety Stuart Macleod said.
“Unable to slow the aircraft down before the runway’s end, the instructor attempted to turn onto taxiway Golf, but the aircraft skidded onto the grass, and the instructor elected to conduct an emergency go-around.”
“During the go-around, the aircraft’s fuselage struck the ground, and the pilot heard the stall warning horn, so lowered the nose slightly, narrowly clearing a row of hangars.
“Landing with excessive speed is likely to result in the aircraft floating, landing long on the runway, bouncing, and/or ballooning, all of which increase the risk of a landing mishap,” Mr Macleod said.
“Although not standard phraseology, air traffic controllers may ask pilots to maintain ‘best speed’, and it is up to the pilot to determine what is best in this context, and more generally advise if an instruction is unclear or cannot be complied with.”
The ATSB final report notes the aircraft exceeded the speed for a stabilised approach, but the instructor did not conduct a go-around prior to landing, or while on the runway.
“When operating in visual meteorological conditions, if an approach is not stabilised by the height specified by the operator – or generally by about 500 ft above the ground, or the approach becomes unstable after that point, go around,” Mr Macleod said.
“Pilots are to always be ready to conduct a go‑around during the approach if any desired flight parameter, such as aircraft configuration, vertical speed, airspeed, or attitude, cannot be achieved.”
Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority is urging pilots of all licence categories to take part in the latest pilot safety seminar in Southport next week.
Every year, CASA’s aviation safety advisors host free seminars for pilots at locations around Australia to encourage them to renew their skills and knowledge and improve their safety.
Aviation Safety Advisor, Craig Peterson, says the seminar was aimed at complementing any level of technical knowledge, from novice to highly experienced pilots.
“Our seminar feedback shows pilots get more out of a session when there is a range of experience in the room and lots of discussion because it is our shared knowledge that creates a safer environment for everyone,” said Mr Peterson.
“We also use case studies during the seminars to show how things can go wrong and to prepare pilots for mitigating those risks.
The Southport aviation safety seminar will be held on Monday 22 April 2024 at 6-8 pm at the Southport Flying Club.
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