Lacking both confidence in the weather forecast for their alternate airport and adequate fuel to divert there after three missed approaches, the Fokker Aircraft F100 crew flew in clouds below the minimum descent altitude (MDA) to land at Paraburdoo Airport in Western Australia, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) says.
The pilots did not see the runway until the airplane had descended to 293 ft above ground level (AGL) — or 291 ft below the MDA — in the Nov. 22, 2021, serious incident.
None of the five crewmembers and 92 passengers was injured and the Network Aviation F100 was not damaged in the incident, which ATSB Transport Safety Director Stuart Godley said illustrates the need for operators to determine how their pilots should respond to encounters with unforecast weather and how each operator should ensure that the designated methods are reflected in its risk management.
An 89-Minute Flight
The morning of the occu…
