What happened
On August 11, 2017, an A3/A320 operated by WZZ, flying from Alesund, Norway, to Gdańsk, Poland, encountered unfavorable weather conditions. A passing storm front over Poland made landing at the destination airport (EPGD) and the designated alternate airport in Szczecin (EPSC) impossible. Additionally, the lack of air traffic control services at the Szczecin alternate necessitated a further change in plans. At the pilot's request, the flight was diverted to Poznań Airport (EPPO).
During the approach to Poznań, the pilot requested a change in the approach procedure from VOR RWY10 to ILS RWY28 due to the approaching storm front. The aircraft landed on runway 28 at 22:24 UTC. This landing occurred during local nighttime noise abatement hours (21:00–05:00 UTC), which are subject to specific restrictions and exceptions as outlined in the AIP Poland.
The investigation
The investigation examined the operational decisions made by the crew and the airport's operational status. The investigation noted that the airport duty officer had previously indicated that no additional unplanned late arrivals would be accepted, except for emergencies, and was prepared to implement noise abatement procedures. Following the landing, the crew reported a remaining fuel quantity of 1660 kg.
Findings
- The primary cause of the diversion was adverse weather conditions at the destination and alternate airports, which fell below landing minimums.
- The pilot's decision to switch to the ILS RWY28 approach was driven by the proximity of the storm front.