Incident Overview
On 25 December 2018, VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Company flight VJ689, an Airbus A320-214 registered as VN-A695, departed from Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR) at 11:16:25 UTC, destined for Tan Son Nhat International Airport. At 11:19:20, while climbing through 6700 feet, the green hydraulic system pressure began to decrease. At 8000 feet, an ECAM warning "GREEN HYDRAULIC LOW PRESSURE" and a Master Caution appeared. The flight crew decided to return to Cam Ranh. At 11:50:05, the aircraft touched down on a new runway that was not yet in operation. The incident caused no damage to the aircraft or injuries to persons.
Flight Crew Information
The captain, born 1963, had 10,674 total flight hours, including 4,908 hours on the A320. The first officer, born 1997, had 559 total flight hours, with 350 hours on the A320. Both held valid licenses and medical certificates at the time of the incident.
Aircraft and Maintenance
The aircraft (MSN 3646, manufactured 17 October 2008) had an airworthiness certificate valid until 28 April 2019. Before the flight, the aircraft had no known technical issues affecting safety. Post-incident inspection revealed that a swivel joint at the flexible hose connecting to the right-hand main landing gear door actuator was broken, causing a hydraulic leak and loss of pressure in the green system. Maintenance records showed full compliance with Airbus requirements.
Meteorological Conditions
Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) and Meteorological Aerodrome Report (METAR) indicated good weather at Cam Ranh: visibility 10 km, wind 8–10 knots, few clouds at 1300–1700 feet, temperature 31°C, and pressure 1012 mb.
Runway and Navigation Information
Runway CHC02 was 3048 meters long and 45.72 meters wide, equipped with ILS, VOR, DME, NDB, and runway edge lights. It was approved for CAT I precision approaches.
Flight Recorders
Both the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) were downloaded and analyzed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) in good technical condition.
Analysis
During the climb, the crew performed abnormal procedures and requested an air return. They contacted ATC, maintained flight levels FL120 and FL130, and held at the Cam Ranh VOR. During the descent and landing phase, the CVR indicated that the crew did not complete all steps of the standard landing preparation procedure per VietJet's Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). Specifically, they did not conduct a briefing on the approach method or exchange airport and runway information before descending. At 11:36, the crew descended to 5000 feet heading 110. At 11:43, they reported approaching CR021. ATC cleared them for the ILS Z RWY02 approach and requested a report when established. At 11:45, the approach controller instructed the crew to contact the tower, which they did. The aircraft landed on the new runway, which was not in operation at the time.
Conclusion
For the Flight Crew
- The crew did not complete all steps of the standard landing preparation procedure as per the SOP.
- The crew did not conduct a briefing regarding the approach method nor exchange information about the airport and runway before descending for landing.
For Air Traffic Control (ATC)
- (Findings as per source: no explicit findings stated in the provided excerpt, but the report includes safety recommendations for ATC.)
Safety Recommendations
The report included safety recommendations for VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Company (regarding documentation system and flight crew training), Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation, and relevant divisions of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam. No probable cause was explicitly stated in the report.