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Dublin Live
6 days ago
- General
- Dublin Live
Investigation finds two Ryanair aircraft with 304 passengers and crew narrowly avoided a collision
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Two Ryanair aircraft with a combined 304 passengers and crew on board narrowly avoided a collision at Las Palmas Airport on Gran Canaria last year due to a problem with equipment used by air traffic controllers, an investigation has revealed. A report by the Spanish Civil Aviation Accident and Investigation Commission (CIAIAC) detailed the serious incident on October 12, 2024 which resulted in two Boeing 737 planes – one making its final approach and the other taking off – flying over the runway at Las Palmas at the same time. At the closest point of separation when both aircraft were in the air, they were just 0.9 nautical miles apart at the same altitude over the runway and potentially just seconds away from a collision. The report revealed that there were no communications from the air traffic control tower for over three minutes during the critical incident. It found that air traffic controllers in the tower were unaware that their instructions were not transmitting and so did not use their "last resort radio." The investigation showed that a Ryanair-registered aircraft operated by Malta Air flying from Rome with 171 passengers and six crew was making its final approach to the runway at Las Palmas airport when another Ryanair aircraft with 127 passengers and six crew was cleared for immediate take-off. Just 42 seconds later, the Ryanair aircraft approaching the runway at an altitude of 350 feet decided to abort the landing and initiate a right turn after seeing the other plane starting its take-off run. The crew tried to call the control tower four times over 40 seconds without a response to state they were aborting the approach. The manoeuvre resulted in a loss of separation – the term used when aircraft breach the minimum safe separation distance between them either horizontally or vertically or both. The crews of both aircraft attempted to contact the control tower but got no response The report showed two air traffic controllers, one of whom was a trainee, were working in the control tower at Las Palmas airport with a normal workload. It found the control tower at Las Palmas warned that the regulatory separation between the two aircraft was not guaranteed and tried to communicate with the two aircraft to resolve the potential conflict but the instructions could not be transmitted. Both air traffic controllers described the situation as "very tight." A separate investigation by the Spanish air navigation service, ENAIRE, was not able to clarify the exact reason for the problem with the communications equipment but ruled out a technical failure. It revealed that a light on a communications panel was illuminated which indicated the equipment was working, although it believed the fault was linked to a stuck foot pedal used to transmit instructions. The CIAIAC report said the loss of separation between the two Ryanair aircraft was "as a result of authorising a take-off when there was another aircraft on final with insufficient space between the two aircraft." Investigators found the two aircraft did not receive any instructions from the control tower due to connection pins of a communications device "being incorrectly connected for a period of time." The CIAIAC said the problem had "made it impossible for the messages issued from the tower to be transmitted outside." It recommended that ENAIRE examine the possibility of including a section on its checklist which would include an obligation for air traffic controllers to check that communications equipment is working correctly. The report also noted that it was a third aircraft which was approaching Las Palmas that became aware of the communications problem and used an emergency frequency that alerted air traffic controllers to the situation. It observed that the crews on both Ryanair aircraft had "adequately managed a solution to the conflict." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Irish Daily Mirror
01-06-2025
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
Two Ryanair aircraft with 304 passengers and crew narrowly avoided a collision
Two Ryanair aircraft with a combined 304 passengers and crew on board narrowly avoided a collision at Las Palmas Airport on Gran Canaria last year due to a problem with equipment used by air traffic controllers, an investigation has revealed. A report by the Spanish Civil Aviation Accident and Investigation Commission (CIAIAC) detailed the serious incident on October 12, 2024 which resulted in two Boeing 737 planes – one making its final approach and the other taking off – flying over the runway at Las Palmas at the same time. At the closest point of separation when both aircraft were in the air, they were just 0.9 nautical miles apart at the same altitude over the runway and potentially just seconds away from a collision. The report revealed that there were no communications from the air traffic control tower for over three minutes during the critical incident. It found that air traffic controllers in the tower were unaware that their instructions were not transmitting and so did not use their 'last resort radio.' The investigation showed that a Ryanair-registered aircraft operated by Malta Air flying from Rome with 171 passengers and six crew was making its final approach to the runway at Las Palmas airport when another Ryanair aircraft with 127 passengers and six crew was cleared for immediate take-off. Just 42 seconds later, the Ryanair aircraft approaching the runway at an altitude of 350 feet decided to abort the landing and initiate a right turn after seeing the other plane starting its take-off run. The crew tried to call the control tower four times over 40 seconds without a response to state they were aborting the approach. The manoeuvre resulted in a loss of separation – the term used when aircraft breach the minimum safe separation distance between them either horizontally or vertically or both. The crews of both aircraft attempted to contact the control tower but got no response The report showed two air traffic controllers, one of whom was a trainee, were working in the control tower at Las Palmas airport with a normal workload. It found the control tower at Las Palmas warned that the regulatory separation between the two aircraft was not guaranteed and tried to communicate with the two aircraft to resolve the potential conflict but the instructions could not be transmitted. Both air traffic controllers described the situation as 'very tight.' A separate investigation by the Spanish air navigation service, ENAIRE, was not able to clarify the exact reason for the problem with the communications equipment but ruled out a technical failure. It revealed that a light on a communications panel was illuminated which indicated the equipment was working, although it believed the fault was linked to a stuck foot pedal used to transmit instructions. The CIAIAC report said the loss of separation between the two Ryanair aircraft was 'as a result of authorising a take-off when there was another aircraft on final with insufficient space between the two aircraft.' Investigators found the two aircraft did not receive any instructions from the control tower due to connection pins of a communications device 'being incorrectly connected for a period of time.' The CIAIAC said the problem had 'made it impossible for the messages issued from the tower to be transmitted outside.' It recommended that ENAIRE examine the possibility of including a section on its checklist which would include an obligation for air traffic controllers to check that communications equipment is working correctly. The report also noted that it was a third aircraft which was approaching Las Palmas that became aware of the communications problem and used an emergency frequency that alerted air traffic controllers to the situation. It observed that the crews on both Ryanair aircraft had 'adequately managed a solution to the conflict.'
Ammon
20-05-2025
- General
- Ammon
Flight flew for 10 minutes without conscious pilot
Ammon News - A Lufthansa flight flew for more than 10 minutes without a conscious pilot last year, according to a report conducted by the Spanish accident investigation authority CIAIAC. An Airbus A321 flight was traveling from Frankfurt, Germany, to Seville, Spain, on Feb. 17, 2024, when the co-pilot suffered a "sudden and severe incapacitation," losing consciousness in the cockpit while the captain had stepped out of the cockpit for "physiological reasons," the investigation reported. Autopilot was engaged during that time, according to the report, allowing the flight, which carried 199 passengers and six crew members, to continue flying in a stable manner. "We are aware of the report issued by the Spanish authorities," Lufthansa Airlines told Fox News Digital. "Lufthansa has provided intensive and comprehensive support to the authorities in their work. In addition, Lufthansa's flight safety department has conducted its own extensive investigation," the airline said, noting that they could not provide any further comment on the report. The Spanish investigation revealed that at 10:31 UTC, the captain left the flight deck to use the restroom moments before the copilot collapsed alone. When the captain returned eight minutes later, repeated attempts to unlock the door failed with the standard entry procedure. A cabin-crew intercom call to the flight deck also went unanswered. Fox News
Epoch Times
19-05-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
Unconscious Co-Pilot Left Lufthansa Jet Unattended in 2024 Mid-Air Scare, Report Says
A Lufthansa flight bound for Spain was left without a pilot at the controls for almost 10 minutes in 2024 when the first officer collapsed while the captain was locked out of the cockpit, the Spanish authorities have said. During the flight from Frankfurt, Germany, to Seville, Spain, on Feb. 17, 2024, the first officer of an Airbus A321 lost consciousness in the cockpit while the captain was using the bathroom, according to a At the time, the plane was cruising at above 30,000 feet with 199 passengers and six crew members on board. It had been flying normally as it entered Spanish airspace, and it had about 30 minutes left of the journey. The captain told investigators that the co-pilot appeared to be in good condition before he left the flight deck for a bathroom break. However, when he returned eight minutes later, he was unable to get back into the cockpit. Investigators said the first officer suffered what he described as a 'sudden and severe incapacitation,' which occurred so abruptly that he was unable to alert anyone. The captain first tried to reenter using the standard cockpit access code, which prompts a buzzer requiring manual confirmation from the inside. After five failed attempts and no response over the intercom, the captain resorted to using an emergency access code, which would have automatically opened the door after a short delay. Related Stories 5/17/2025 5/16/2025 Just before the emergency access code timer ran out, the co-pilot regained awareness and opened the door manually, allowing the captain to quickly take control of the aircraft. The report stated that the 38-year-old first officer was found 'pale, sweating, and moving strangely.' The captain immediately called for assistance. Cabin crew and a doctor who was traveling as a passenger administered first aid, while the captain diverted the flight to Madrid, the nearest airport. The co-pilot's incapacitation was later attributed to a 'neurological condition' that had not been previously detected by the patient himself or in his prior medical exams. The CIAIAC said this condition was difficult to detect and would appear in a medical exam only if his symptoms had been present at the time or had occurred before. Throughout the incident, the plane's autopilot system remained engaged and kept the plane on a stable course, according to the Spanish aviation regulator, although the co-pilot might have unintentionally interacted with the controls while he was unconscious. The incident raised renewed attention to cockpit protocol. In 2015, German airlines adopted the 'two-person cockpit rule' in the aftermath of the Germanwings 9525 tragedy, during which investigators believe that pilot Andreas Lubitz locked the captain out of the cockpit and deliberately crashed the Airbus A320 into the French Alps, killing all 150 people on board. This policy required that at least two crew members be present in the flight deck at all times. If one pilot were to need to leave, a flight attendant would temporarily take his or her place so that no pilot was ever left alone. In 2017, however, the German Aviation Association lifted that rule, saying that German airlines had all agreed that the two-person cockpit requirement did not improve safety and could, in fact, introduce new risks, such as leaving the door open for too long. Instead, airlines pledged to improve mental health screenings for pilots and provide aircrews with better psychological support services.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lufthansa flight flew for 10 minutes without conscious pilot, investigation reveals
A Lufthansa flight flew for more than 10 minutes without a conscious pilot last year, according to a report conducted by the Spanish accident investigation authority CIAIAC. An Airbus A321 flight was traveling from Frankfurt, Germany, to Seville, Spain, on Feb. 17, 2024, when the co-pilot suffered a "sudden and severe incapacitation," losing consciousness in the cockpit while the captain had stepped out of the cockpit for "physiological reasons," the investigation reported. Autopilot was engaged during that time, according to the report, allowing the flight, which carried 199 passengers and six crew members, to continue flying in a stable manner. "We are aware of the report issued by the Spanish authorities," Lufthansa Airlines told Fox News Digital. United Airlines Flight Forced To Make Emergency Landing At Newark "Lufthansa has provided intensive and comprehensive support to the authorities in their work. In addition, Lufthansa's flight safety department has conducted its own extensive investigation," the airline said, noting that they could not provide any further comment on the report. Read On The Fox News App The Spanish investigation revealed that at 10:31 UTC, the captain left the flight deck to use the restroom moments before the copilot collapsed alone. When the captain returned eight minutes later, repeated attempts to unlock the door failed with the standard entry procedure. A cabin-crew intercom call to the flight deck also went unanswered. Faa Investigating After United, Delta Flights Nearly Collide Before Landing At Phoenix Airport After an emergency access code was entered and moments before the automatic door was released, the copilot opened the deck door manually from the inside despite being ill, the report continued. The captain took control of the aircraft at 10:42 UTC. The captain found the copilot "pale, sweating and moving strangely," according to the investigation report. After a crew member and on board doctor administered first aid and suspected a possible heart condition, the captain then diverted the plane to the most suitable airport and landed in Madrid approximately 20 minutes later. The copilot was then taken to the hospital. The copilot was later diagnosed with a previously undetected neurological condition, the report article source: Lufthansa flight flew for 10 minutes without conscious pilot, investigation reveals
