What happened
On August 22, 2016, an A320 was performing the final approach phase of its landing at the Kraków TMA (EPKK). During the transition between the Approach (APP) and Tower (TWR) control frequencies, the crew incorrectly tuned the aircraft's radio to 119.250 MHz instead of the required 129.250 MHz.
As a result of this error, the crew was unable to establish contact with the Tower controller. The crew did not attempt to re-establish contact or verify the frequency setting. Furthermore, the crew did not monitor for visual signals from the tower and failed to execute a missed approach procedure despite the lack of landing clearance. The aircraft landed on the runway, and the error was only discovered after the aircraft had landed and the correct frequency was established, allowing communication with the Tower to be restored.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the breakdown in communication and the failure to follow standard operating procedures during the approach. The investigation established that the crew had been monitoring the emergency frequency (121.500 MHz) throughout the incident but remained unaware of the frequency error regarding the Tower. The investigation also examined the lack of visual signaling from the Tower and the crew's failure to recognize the absence of landing authorization.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a violation of air traffic regulations by landing without obtaining clearance from air traffic control.
- The incorrect tuning of the Tower radio frequency was a contributing factor.
- The crew failed to execute the prescribed missed approach procedure following the loss of communication.