What happened
On October 17, 2022, an Airbus A320-251N, registration HK5378, was operating a scheduled passenger flight from Cali (CLO) to Riohacha (RCH). During the descent, the crew was notified by air traffic control that the destination airport in Riohacha had closed due to a thunderstorm.
As the crew evaluated diversion options, they found that nearby coastal airports in Santa Marta, Barranquilla, and Cartagena were also experiencing deteriorating weather. The crew subsequently decided to divert to their designated alternate, José María Córdoba International Airport (RNG) in Rionegran, Antioquia. However, during the approach to Rionegro, heavy storms involving rain and hail forced the aircraft into a holding pattern. Shortly after, air traffic control announced that Rionegro had also closed due to intense weather over the field.
Facing rapidly depleting reserves, the crew declared a fuel minimum at 18:26 UTC and officially declared a MAYDAY - MAYDAY FUEL emergency at 18:31 UTC. The crew requested a diversion to Montería (MTR). The aircraft landed at Montería at 19:07 UTC with only 282 kg of fuel remaining. There were no injuries to the 178 passengers or 6 crew members, and no damage was reported to the aircraft.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation focused on the rapid succession of airport closures and the decision-making process of the crew and flight dispatch. Investigators examined the operational flight plan, meteorological reports, and the functionality of the aircraft's communication systems. The investigation also reviewed the effectiveness of the airline's fuel policy and the availability of real-time weather updates for the flight dispatch center.
Findings
- The primary cause was the dynamic development of severe weather conditions that led to the simultaneous closure of the destination airport and the selected alternate airport.
- A lack of updated, real-time convective weather analysis in the information sources provided to the crew and dispatch hindered effective planning.
- Severe weather also impacted other nearby airports that could have served as viable alternatives.
- Communication difficulties occurred between the flight crew and the company's operations center due to intermittent ACARS performance, which caused messages to be delayed or buffered in the system.