An Airbus A320neo operated by TAP Air Portugal came within 30 seconds of crashing 30 kilometres from Prague, Czech Republic, when it descended below the safety altitude and at one point was less than 300 metres from the ground on Jan. 17. The Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) alerted the pilots, who immediately initiated a climb and recovered altitude.
What happened?
The TAP flight TP1240, which departed from Lisbon (LIS), Portugal, reportedly encountered adverse weather conditions that reduced visibility.
According to the Czech Civil Aviation Authority (UZPLN), the aircraft began descending at high speed above Křivoklát Castle until it was only 300 meters from the ground.
As per flight regulations, when approaching Prague’s Václav Havel Airport (PRG), the passenger jet should have been 4,000 feet above ground (1,290 meters).
Josef Bejdák, deputy director of the country’s Air Accidents Investigation Institute, told the Czech daily Mladá fronta Dnes:
“Radar systems detected a deviation from the assigned flight altitude of 4,000 (1,290 metres) feet above ground level. The crew responded to instructions from air traffic control,” adding that “We are investigating the situation as a serious incident.”
After being alerted by air traffic control and TAWS, the pilots initiated a climb, and the situation had stabilised 11 minutes later. The airplane landed safely, with no reported injuries or damage.
What caused the incident?
The Portuguese airline and the Czech authorities have both said they are investigating the incident and cooperating.
Josef Bejdák stated that:
“Our Portuguese colleagues sent us the data from the so-called black boxes, which are currently being analysed and compared with the data obtained from air traffic control.”
Although there is no confirmed cause yet, experts suspect an incorrect use of the autopilot. In aviation, such incidents are known as Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) and result from incorrect autopilot settings or other factors that cause the aircraft to approach the ground without the crew’s awareness of the error.
Had you heard about this incident? What do you think about this possible cause? Share your thoughts in the comments.
