What happened
On September 4, 2015, a Boeing B-757-200, registration EC-ISY, operated by Privilege Style on behalf of Jet2.com, was performing a scheduled international flight from Manchester, United Kingdom, to Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The flight plan included Menorca and Ibiza as alternate airports.
While executing the arrival at Palma de Mallorca, the crew encountered severe weather conditions characterized by thunderstorms, hail, and wind shear. During the ILS approach to runway 06L, the crew observed a sudden increase in indicated airspeed from 180 to 220 knots, prompting an immediate missed approach. The aircraft was part of a sequence of four consecutive aircraft that were forced to abort landings due to the deteriorating weather.
After being informed that the primary alternate, Menorca, was also experiencing heavy storm activity, the crew requested a diversion to Ibiza. During the diversion, the crew realized the aircraft was running low on fuel and declared a MAYDAY at 08:53 UTC. The aircraft was cleared for an ILS approach to runway 24 at Ibiza and landed safely at 09:13 UTC.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation examined the flight logs, weather reports, and air traffic control communications. The investigation focused on the discrepancy between the planned fuel reserves and the actual fuel remaining upon landing. Investigators reviewed the meteorological data from AEMET, which confirmed severe convective activity across the Balearic Islands, and analyzed the flight duration compared to the original operational flight plan.
Findings
- The aircraft landed with 1100 kg of fuel on board, which was significantly below the planned final reserve of 1697 kg.
- The crew had proactively loaded an additional 1380 kg of fuel beyond the initial flight plan to account for potential diversions.
- Severe thunderstorms and significant deviations from the original route caused the actual flight duration to be much longer than the planned 2 hours and 36 minutes, ultimately consuming the extra fuel.
- The aircraft landed with fuel levels below the established final reserve due to the extended flight duration caused by weather-related diversions.
- Air traffic control provided effective assistance by informing the crew of weather conditions at alternative airports and prioritizing the emergency flight.