History of the Flight
On 5 August 2020 at 0605 UTC, a Cessna 510 Citation Mustang, registration OE-FNP, was conducting a commercial air transport flight with two crew and four passengers. The aircraft, manufactured in 2009 and equipped with two PW615F/A turbofan engines, was being radar vectored for an ILS approach to Runway 26 at Jersey Airport, receiving an ATC service from Jersey Approach.
As the aircraft captured the glideslope, ATC instructed the crew that they were number one in the sequence and told them to contact Jersey Tower frequency. The crew completed the landing checklist, turned on the landing lights, and proceeded to land without contacting Tower or receiving a landing clearance. After vacating the runway, they were informed that they were still on the approach frequency.
Crew Comments
The crew stated that they misinterpreted the ATC instructions regarding their position in the sequence as a landing clearance. The commander noted that there was no other traffic in the vicinity at the time, and the tower controller was aware of their presence and expecting them. The commander also commented that the crew were not fatigued, distracted, or overloaded, yet they misinterpreted the instructions received. He emphasized the importance of verifying any clearance if there is doubt.
Investigation
The AAIB received an Aircraft Accident Report Form submitted by the pilot. The aircraft sustained no damage, and no injuries were reported among the crew or passengers.