Description

On 9 May 2008, the crew of a Boeing 737-800 (PK-GEF) being operated on a scheduled passenger flight from Denpasar, Indonesia to Perth made a low go around after observing vehicles on the closed section of the runway without apparently recognising where the expected temporarily displaced landing threshold was located. A second similar approach led the TWR controller to instruct the aircraft to go around but instead, the aircraft was observed to fly level at a low height before eventually touching down just beyond the correctly notified and marked displaced threshold.

Investigation

The occurrence was classified as an “Operational Non Compliance” by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) but a full Investigation was carried out into the circumstances. It was established that both flight crew were familiar with Perth but the occurrence arrival was their first since the runway works requiring a landing threshold temporarily displaced by 888 metres had commenced. The crew were aware of the Notice To Airmen advising of this work prior to making their approaches and it was noted that both the landing clearances they had received included reference to the displaced threshold. The prevailing weather conditions were good.