[Peetwo]

TICK TOCK goes the Miniscule clock??

Running along the ever more critical theme - i.e. Closing the safety loop - there was released from the ATSB today

Aircraft loading events involving VH-VWT, Airbus A321, Melbourne Airport, Vic. on 29 October 2015 and VH-VQG, Airbus A320, Brisbane Airport, Qld on 19 October 2015

 
Investigation number: AO-2015-139
Investigation status: Active
 

• Summary
  

Summary
On 29 October 2015, an Airbus A321, registered VH-VWT and operated by Jetstar Airways (Jetstar), was scheduled to conduct a passenger flight from Melbourne, Victoria, to Perth, Western Australia. During the take-off roll, the pilot flying noticed that the aircraft was nose-heavy and required an almost full aft control input to raise the aircraft’s nose. Once airborne, the flight crew requested the cabin crew to confirm the passenger numbers and seating locations. The flight crew re-entered the updated information into the flight management computer and identified that the aircraft was outside the aircraft’s loading limits for take-off and landing. Passengers were relocated within the aircraft cabin to return the aircraft to within allowable limits for the remainder of the flight and landing.
Ten days earlier, an Airbus A320, registered VH-VQG and being operated by Jetstar, was being prepared for a scheduled passenger flight from Brisbane, Queensland, to Melbourne. During the passenger boarding process, the flight crew were advised of a discrepancy at the passenger check-in, and that 12 passengers were still to board the aircraft. A short time later, the flight crew were advised that the issue had been resolved, and they were given final passenger numbers.

During the flight to Melbourne, the flight crew requested the cabin crew to confirm the total number of passengers on board the aircraft. The passenger count in the cabin suggested that the aircraft departed Brisbane with 16 more passengers than advised, and the aircraft was about 1,328 kg heavier than the take-off weight used to calculate the take-off and landing data for the flight. The crew recalculated the aircraft’s landing data prior to the descent into Melbourne.

The ATSB has commenced an investigation into these two aircraft loading events, which will include:

• interviews with the flight and ground operations crews
  
• a review of the Jetstar internal procedures regarding aircraft loading
  
• a review of preventative- and recovery-type risk controls for aircraft loading.
  

_________________

The information contained in this web update is released in accordance with section 25 of the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 and is derived from the initial investigation of the occurrence. Readers are cautioned that new evidence will become available as the investigation progresses that will enhance the ATSB's understanding of the accident as outlined in this web update. As such, no analysis or findings are included in this update. 



 

Which was diligently caught and reported on, with updates, by Ben Sandilands...

Two serious Jetstar incidents under ATSB investigation

Ben Sandilands | Dec 04, 2015 8:27AM |


A Jetstar A321, a jet so badly loaded at Melbourne in October it struggled to get airborne

After an unexplained delay two incidents involving Jetstar domestic flights in October are being investigated by the ATSB, with one of them placing a jet equipped with more than 215 seats in grave danger.

On 19 October a Jetstar A32o left Brisbane for Melbourne with 16 more passengers on board than advised, meaning the aircraft was about 1,328 kg heavier than the take-off weight used to calculate the take-off and landing data for the flight.

On 29 October a Jetstar A321 was found to be so nose heavy during the take off roll from Melbourne bound for Perth that it required an almost full aft control input to raise the aircraft’s noses and become airborne.

It is understood that Jetstar promptly reported both incidents to the ATSB.

The flight had been dispatched with incorrect load information in its flight management computer which placed the jet outside its loading limits for take-off and landing.

This was an incident that could have ended in a fireball killing hundreds of people. It is almost inconceivable that an Australian airline, under the diligent oversight of its safety regulator CASA, could place so many people at risk through such a fundamental failure of basic operational procedures.

Both incidents are grounds for an urgent inquiry into the fitness of Jetstar to continue to hold an air operator certificate, and the appointment of an independent audit into the capacity of CASA to discharge its obligations to maintain air safety standards in this country.

Tiger Airways was grounded by CASA in 2011 for busting the minimum safe altitude over houses in Leopold near Geelong (as well as ignoring repeated safety warnings from the regulator).

The risks Tiger posed to air safety in Australia were however manifestly less than those evidenced in these and earlier serious incidents involving Jetstar. For an Australian licensed carrier to be dispatching jets before knowing how many passengers were on board, thus invalidating critical performance calculations on a flight by flight basis is one very serious matter.

But the discovery mid take off that a jet, an A321, was so dangerously loaded that it was almost uncontrollable, is a warning to the Australian government, and its dysfunctional safety regulator, as well as to anyone thinking of flying Jetstar, that there is something profoundly wrong in the management and operating culture of this airline.

You couldn’t make up worse scenarios for the operations of a scheduled mainline airline than those that played out in these incidents.

It is important also to get an explanation as to why their notification to the ATSB seems to have taken so long. Integrity in the reporting of safety incidents is a critical element in airline safety in the developed world.

The ATSB notifications of these incidents are about as blunt as any in recent years and can be read in full here.

Jetstar responds:
A spokesperson for Jetstar says “We’re investigating these events and working closely with the ATSB to assist with its inquiries.

“Since these incidents took place in October, we have put additional measures in place to check our flights have been loaded correctly and that aircraft weight and balance is properly accounted for.

“We’ve had no flights operate with this type of error since we introduced these measures.”

CASA responds:
CASA has begun its own investigation into the two Jetstar passenger loading incidents.
This investigation is looking at the root causes of the passenger loading errors, relevant systems and processes and Jetstar’s subsequent actions.

CASA’s investigation is running parallel to the investigation being conducted by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and focusses on regulatory compliance and ongoing safety of flight.

The travelling public can be assured CASA will take all appropriate actions to ensure Jetstar has robust and appropriate systems and processes in place to ensure passenger loading mistakes are not made.

CASA is oversighting the changes Jetstar have made in relation to passenger loading and aircraft weight and balance following the October incidents.

From ABC World Today program:

Jetstar investigated by aviation safety and regulatory authorities over passenger loading issues


Will Ockenden reported this story on Friday, December 4, 2015 12:20:01
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Wake up Jeff...err Wazza - sheesh


MTF..P2