B738, Mildura VIC Australia, 2013

B738, Mildura VIC Australia, 2013

Summary

On 18 June 2013, a Boeing 737-800 crew en route to Adelaide encountered un-forecast below-minima weather conditions on arrival there and decided to divert to their designated alternate, Mildura, approximately 220nm away where both the weather report and forecast were much better. However, on arrival there, an un-forecast rapid deterioration to thick fog had occurred with insufficient fuel to go anywhere else. The only available approach was flown, but despite exceeding the minimum altitude by 260 feet, no visual reference was obtained. A further approach with the reported overcast 100 feet agl and visibility 200 metres was continued to a landing.

Description

On 18 June 2013, a Boeing 737-800 (VH-YIR) being operated by Virgin Australia Airlines on a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Brisbane to Adelaide as Velocity 1384 with 91 passengers on board was unable to land at its destination due to a deterioration in the weather there and upon diversion to its designated alternate, Mildura, was unable to land even when continuing 260 feet below MDA for the same reason. With ATC having declared a distress phase and with passengers instructed to adopt the brace position, a further non precision approach was then made, again with a significant breach of the prevailing approach minima and a successful landing was finally achieved in day IMC three minutes after a weather observation giving 200 metres visibility in fog with a 100 feet cloudbase with fuel significantly below the required reserves.

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