What happened
On 16 July 2020, an Antonov 26B, registration UR-CQD, was conducting a commercial cargo flight into Birmingham Airport. During the arrival, the crew attempted two non-precision approaches to Runway 33, both of which required a go-around.
On the first approach, the aircraft remained significantly higher than the required profile. At 3 nautical miles from the runway, the aircraft was 660 feet above the correct altitude. Although Air Traffic Control (ATC) notified the crew of the deviation, the aircraft did not descend sufficiently, leading ATC to instruct a go-around.
During the second attempt at Runway 33, the crew began their descent too early. The aircraft descended through 1,600 feet while still 7 nautical miles from the runway, which was 400 feet below the prescribed altitude. As the aircraft continued to drop, reaching 600 feet below the profile, ATC issued a terrain warning and ordered a go-around. The crew initially believed they were approaching a glideslope, but ATC clarified that no such precision guidance was available for that runway. The aircraft eventually completed a successful third approach using the ILS on Runway 15.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight profiles, the cockpit environment, and the availability of navigational aids at Birmingham Airport. It was noted that the glide slope for Runway 33 had been out of service due to ongoing drainage issues and was not re-commissioned until months after this incident.
The investigators also reviewed the cockpit configuration, noting that the aircraft's instrument panels had recently undergone modifications, changing the layout of certain flight instruments. Additionally, the investigation considered the presence of a senior manager on board, as the commander was undergoing a line check at the time of the incident.