Description

On 24 November 2006, an AIRBUS A-310 descended significantly below cleared altitude during a radar vectored approach positioning, as a result of the flight crew's failure to set the Altimeter Pressure Settings, which was unusually low.

Synopsis

The aircraft was being radar vectored towards a night ILS approach to Runway 15 at Birmingham Airport. The radar controller had cleared the crew to descend to an altitude of 2,500 ft, but noticed that the aircraft had descended to almost 1000 feet below the cleared altitude at a range of 11-12nm, in the presence of an obstruction in the vicinity. The crew were instructed to climb and given the QNH, which they had not set. With the correct QNH set, the aircraft climbed and levelled as instructed at 2,000 feet and were then cleared to intercept the localiser and continue descent with the glideslope after which a normal landing was completed.

The AAIB Report includes the following analysis: