A320, vicinity Pointe-à-Pitre Guadeloupe French Antilles, 2022

A320, vicinity Pointe-à-Pitre Guadeloupe French Antilles, 2022

Summary

On 11 February 2022 an Airbus A320 making a visual approach to Guadeloupe at night was advised by ATC of a descent below the minimum safe altitude. This advisory came as the crew continued the approach after visual reference was temporarily lost. A repeat of this warning by ATC prompted crew recognition that the aircraft was low and off the required approach track. A go-around was initiated from 460 feet agl. The decision to attempt a visual approach in unsuitable circumstances and a delay in recognising the need for a go-around were found to have been symptomatic of poor tactical decision-making.

Description

On 11 February 2022 an Airbus A320 (F-HEPB) operated by Air France on a scheduled passenger flight from Martinique to Guadeloupe as AFR605 was on a hand-flown visual night approach at destination. The crew lost visual reference, but continued the approach until a repeated ATC call prompted recognition that the aircraft was off the required vertical profile.  

Investigation

An investigation was carried out by the French Civil Aviation Accident Investigation Agency, the BEA using relevant quick-access recorder (QAR) data. However, the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was not isolated after landing, and its data were lost. Relevant recorded ATC and meteorological data were available.

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