Description

On 5 September 2007 in day Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC), an MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD-82 being operated by SAS on a scheduled passenger flight from Copenhagen to Helsinki was obliged to carry out an own-initiative avoiding action orbit in day VMC against an Airbus A319 being operated by Finnair on a scheduled passenger flight from St. Petersburg to Helsinki after conflict when about to join final approach. Both aircraft were following ATC instructions which, in the case of the MD 82, had not included maintaining own separation so that the applicable separation minima were significantly breached.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the Accident Investigation Board Finland. It was found that the two aircraft had been approaching the final approach for the designated landing runway 15 from opposite directions, both initially with ATC-issued exemptions from speed control. ATC TWR had cleared the A 319 to land when it was still on a visual downwind leg. Shortly afterwards, when the A319 was still downwind but abeam the landing runway threshold, ATC APP cleared the MD82 for a visual approach but did not advise of the A319 traffic until the two aircraft were on opposite base legs at which point the MD82, having thought that the A319 was departing traffic, upon being advised that it was No 1 to land, elected to turn left, and subsequently carry out a full orbit, to create appropriate separation. The radar picture below is taken from the official report: