FYI
Can anyone shed any light on this incident (press making it sound serious as usual!)
British government air safety investigators are probing an incident in which a Monarch flight aborted its landing in Gibraltar and, according to eyewitnesses, flew over the town area.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch [AAIB], part of the UK’s Department for Transport, confirmed yesterday that it was “conducting enquiries” into the incident, which occurred in bad weather last Friday evening.
The results of the AAIB investigation could potentially have broader implications for property development in Gibraltar.
Although the investigation is still in its early stages, the incident has intensified concerns about high-rise buildings and airline safety.
Monarch flight ZB068, a Boeing 757 aircraft carrying 184 passengers from Luton to Gibraltar, was due to land on the evening of March 17th.
The plane flew on a routine approach path before banking to line up with the airfield.
But as it came close to landing, eyewitnesses said it turned sharply and flew at low altitude over the town area.
In a statement to the Chronicle yesterday, Monarch said the crew had been unable to complete the landing due to poor weather conditions.
“After the crew discontinued their approach into Gibraltar, they received a report from Air Traffic Control that, although remaining within the designated airspace, they had deviated from the normal routing,” the statement said.
“Following standard procedure, this matter has been reported to the UK Civil Aviation Authority and is now the subject of a full investigation by the airline.”
After aborting the landing at Gibraltar, the Monarch flight diverted to Málaga where it touched down at 9.13pm.
Investigators from the AAIB will interview the Monarch crew and talk to witnesses to try and establish the sequence of events.
They will also examine official flight control data, including voice recordings and radar information, to track the plane’s flight path and altitude as it banked away from the airfield.
“It’s too early to say how serious it could have been,” said the AAIB spokesman in London yesterday, stressing that this was a preliminary probe.
But even at this early stage, the incident has reopened local concerns about airline safety and high-rise buildings close to the runway.
Such concerns had already been publicly aired in relation to new developments such as Waterport Terraces, the Eastside Development and the Midtown Project.
All of these developments are already subject to specific rules on height in relation to the distance from the airport.
According to its website, the AAIB is tasked with investigating “civil aircraft accidents and serious incidents” within UK airspace.
The purpose of its investigations is not to apportion blame or liability but to improve aviation safety by determining causes and making safety recommendations to prevent a reoccurrence.
The findings of the AAIB investigation, which will likely take several weeks to conclude, will be published in its monthly bulletin.