[Peetwo]

AO-2022-061: YSBK after last light landing final report released? - 

Via Popinjay's bollocks media spin factory, courtesy of on duty DTS Kerri Hughes:

Citation descended below lowest safe altitude on approach to Bankstown shortly after last light

A Citation jet’s descent below lowest safe altitude on approach into Bankstown highlights to pilots to consider how operating rules may change during flight, particularly around last light, an ATSB investigation report details.

On 16 November 2022, the Cessna Citation Mustang with a single pilot and one passenger on board was conducting a charter flight from Young to Bankstown.

As the aircraft approached Bankstown to land under the instrument flight rules, about 10 minutes after last light, the pilot established contact with air traffic control (ATC) and requested a ‘visual’ approach. ATC approved the pilot to fly directly toward final approach for runway 11 centre.

“The pilot proceeded to follow the rules applicable to day operations, as there was still some ambient light available,” ATSB Director Transport Safety Kerri Hughes explained.

“However, as the operation was taking place after last light, this meant the pilot descended below the lowest safe altitude applicable, reducing the assurance for separation from terrain and ground‑based obstacles.”

Flight data showed the pilot descended to a height of 1,000 ft, about 800 ft below the lowest safe altitude for the area at that time.

ATC subsequently issued a terrain safety alert, and the pilot reported they were visual. An uneventful landing was then conducted.

The ATSB report notes the flight was the fourth of the day, and the pilot had submitted all flight plans at about 0448 local time, before commencing operations.

“This incident highlights the importance of planning, in particular around times when rules change, such as the transition from day to night,” Ms Hughes said.

“In this case, both planned and actual times when the flight below lowest safe altitude occurred were after last light.”

During the investigation, the pilot reported that flying a published instrument approach procedure, rather than declaring ‘visual’ would have been a more suitable plan for this flight.

Read the report: Flight below minimum altitude involving Cessna Citation 510, VH-IEQ, 13 km west of Bankstown Airport, New South Wales, 16 November 2022

Publication Date: 05/06/2024

And from the Short investigation final report (that took 18 months and 21 days to complete):

At about 2001, the aircraft started to descend, continuing to track toward IFR waypoint WATLE. During this descent, at about 2004, last light[3] for Bankstown occurred. Six minutes later, the aircraft arrived overhead WATLE and proceeded to follow the planned IFR route denoted ‘Y20’, directly toward Bankstown Airport, 28 NM (52 km) to the east. At 2014:48, at waypoint NOLEM (Figure 2), the aircraft levelled out at 2,000 ft[4] above mean sea level and continued to track toward Bankstown. At this time, the pilot established first contact with Bankstown Tower air traffic control (ATC) near waypoint NOLEM (Figure 2), with the following communication exchange:

2014:48 IEQ: ‘Bankstown tower IEQ is 11 miles west 2,000 with Quebec visual inbound’

2014:59 BANKSTOWN TOWER: ‘IEQ BK TWR Join Final Runway 11 centre’

2015:08 IEQ: ‘Join Final 11 centre IEQ’

Immediately after responding to ATC, flight data indicated that the aircraft began a left turn onto a track of approximately 060° (true). Near the completion of the left turn, at 2015:22, the aircraft began to descend from 2,000 ft (labelled ‘left turn toward final approach and start of descent below 2,000 feet’ in Figure 2). The aircraft continued to descend on this track, levelling out at 1,000 ft at 2016:20. Around this time, ATC identified that the aircraft was ‘too low’, and issued a ‘Terrain’ safety alert at the location marked in Figure 2. The communication exchange for the safety alert between ATC and the pilot were as follows:

2016:30 BANKSTOWN TOWER: ‘IEQ Safety Alert Terrain QNH[5] is 1012’

2016:38 IEQ: ‘Roger copy 1012 IEQ I'm ahh visual’

2016:43 BANKSTOWN TOWER: ‘IEQ’

At the time the safety alert was issued and while maintaining at 1,000 ft, flight track data showed that the aircraft started to change track to the right by 15° to 075° for about 2 NM (3.7 km). The aircraft then changed track again to the right toward the intersection of the Bankstown Airport control zone and the extended centreline of runway 11 centre. Just prior to entering the control zone at 2017:55, Bankstown Tower provided the aircraft with a clearance to land, which was acknowledged by the pilot. At this time, the aircraft turned toward runway 11 centre and started to descend from 1,000 ft. An uneventful landing on runway 11 centre was conducted at 2019:56.

And: "..The pilot reported that, on reflection, a better option would have been to fly an instrument approach procedure when planning to arrive at Bankstown just prior to or after last light.."

Hmm...568 days for that revelation?? -

MTF...P2