B773 / B738 / B738, Melbourne Australia, 2015

B773 / B738 / B738, Melbourne Australia, 2015

Summary

On 5 July 2015, as a Boeing 777-300ER was departing Melbourne, two Boeing 737-800s which were initially on short final for intersecting runways with their ground separation dependent on one receiving a LAHSO clearance, went around. When both approaching aircraft did so, there was a loss of safe terrain clearance, safe separation and wake vortex separation between the three aircraft. The Investigation attributed the event to the actions of an inadequately supervised trainee controller and inappropriate intervention by a supervisory controller. It also identified a systemic safety issue generated by permitting LAHSO at night and a further flaw affecting the risk of all LAHSO at Melbourne.

Description

On 5 July 2015, a Boeing 777-300ER (A6-EBU) being operated by Emirates on a scheduled international passenger flight from Melbourne to Singapore as EK405 which had taken off from runway 34, a Boeing 737-800 (VH-VYE) being operated by Qantas on a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Canberra to Melbourne as QF819 which was on a go around from an approach to the same runway, and another Boeing 737-800 (VH-VXS) being operated by Qantas on a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Sydney to Melbourne as QF449 also going around, all came into proximity as they followed ATC instructions at night.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). It was established that the TWR position was being occupied by a trainee controller accompanied by an OJTI who had held a Melbourne Aerodrome Control Rating for 6½ years. A ‘Tower Coordinator’ was also present - he had held a Melbourne Aerodrome Control Rating since 1996 - as was another controller tasked with Ground Movement Control and Clearance Delivery.

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