What happened
During an approach to Dubai aerodrome under instrument meteorological conditions, a Royal New Zealand Air Force C130 was operating under the direction of local Air Traffic Control. During the descent phase, the air traffic controller issued a clearance for the aircraft to descend to 2,000 feet. This instruction placed the aircraft 800 feet below the established minimum radar vectoring altitude of 2,800 feet. At the time of the descent, the aircraft's altitude provided only 200 feet of clearance above the tallest obstacle in the immediate vicinity.
The investigation
An investigation into the incident involved an accredited representative appointed to assist the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority. The inquiry focused on the instructions provided by the controller and the altitude parameters required for safe radar vectoring in the area. The investigation examined the discrepancy between the cleared altitude and the mandatory minimum altitude for the sector.