What happened
On 11 February 2022, an Airbus A320, registration F-HEPB, was operating a commercial flight from Fort-de-France to Pointe-à-Pitre. During the approach, the crew requested a right-hand visual approach to runway 12, believing weather conditions were favorable.
As the aircraft transitioned into the base leg, the pilot flying (PF) disconnected the autopilot and the auto-thrust system. During the subsequent turn and configuration changes, the aircraft's vertical speed increased significantly, reaching over 2,000 ft/ . The crew's descent was not monitored closely as the pilot monitoring (PM) was occupied with landing gear and flap extensions.
At 21:48, the air traffic controller issued a Minimum Safe Altitude Warning (MSAW) alert, instructing the crew to check their altitude. The crew realized the aircraft was not aligned with the runway centerline and was significantly off-course. Consequently, the crew aborted the approach and executed a go-around, later completing the landing via an ILS approach.
The investigation
The BEA investigation utilized QAR data, radio communications, and radar data to reconstruct the flight path. The investigation focused on the crew's decision-making regarding automation levels and the impact of weather on visual references. The investigators examined the aircraft's configuration changes, the workload of the PM, and the effectiveness of the MSAW warning. The study also reviewed the operator's procedures for night visual approaches and the use of automation during such maneuvers.
Findings
Several factors led to the unstable approach and the subsequent aborted landing:
- The crew's decision to use a level of automation (A/THR off) typically reserved for daylight conditions, which significantly increased the workload.
- The loss of visual references due to encountering rain and cloud banks during the night approach.
- The pilot monitoring was heavily tasked with aircraft configuration, preventing effective monitoring of the flight path.
- A failure to identify the specific threat posed by the PF's position in the left seat during a right-hand circuit.
- A desire to optimize flight time and maintain manual flying skills, which led to an underestimation of the risks associated with the weather conditions.