Vietnam A321 at Nha Trang on Apr 29th 2018, landed on runway under construction

Last Update: September 6, 2018 / 15:20:28 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Apr 29, 2018

Classification
Incident

Flight number
VN-7344

Aircraft Registration
VN-A613

Aircraft Type
Airbus A321

ICAO Type Designator
A321

Airport ICAO Code
VVCR

A Vietnam Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration VN-A613 performing flight VN-7344 from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang (Vietnam) with 203 passengers and 7 crew, had performed an RNAV runway 20 approach and was cleared to land on Nha Trang's civil airport's Cam Ranh International's runway 20 (future runway 20R) but touched down on the runway under construction to become runway 20L. The aircraft rolled out, the engines sucked a number of foreign objects from the runway surface in.

Vietnam's Civil Aviation Authority rated the occurrence a serious incident, suspended the flight crew, and opened an investigation into the occurrence.

On Apr 30th 2018 The Aviation Herald received additional information contradicting earlier preliminary information (of a landing on runway 02) based on CAA Vietnam statements, that the aircraft performed an RNAV approach to runway 20 and was cleared to land on runway 20. According to the captain's narrative the runway was marked 20 with no crosses over the threshold or down the runway, the crew did notice that no runway lights (including PAPIs) were active, however, realized only after touchdown that the runway was still under construction and brought the aircraft to a full stop. The charts in use did not depict the runway under construction.

On May 2nd 2018 The Aviation Herald received information, that the new runway had been put into operations for a 300 meters portion to be used only by military aircraft. This had been NOTAMED in 2017 permanently, however, the NOTAM had not been forwarded to the crew. In addition, the airline stated: "The VVCR airport charts 10-9 and 10-9-0 depict ‘Unservicable Area’ for the construction zone of the new runway and taxiways."

Although runway 02R/20L was partly put into operations for military aircraft, an AIP Supplement released by Vietnam's Civil Aviation Authority on Apr 26th 2018 makes clear the runways had not yet been renamed as necessary to become 02L/R and 20R/L, runway 02L/20R still is named runway 02/20 by Apr 26th 2018.

On May 2nd 2018 Vietnam's CAA released a new NOTAM 1056/18 (see below) to make pilots aware of the parallel runway in operation for military use.

On May 3rd 2018 The Aviation Herald received charts currently in use with Vietnam Airlines including the Aerodrome Chart as well as a real RNP Runway 20 Approach Chart (as opposed to the AIP Vietnam Chart which is labelled as RNP Runway 20 but in fact is a Standard Arrivals Chart).

On Sep 6th 2018 The Aviation Herald received information that the crew prepared for an ILS approach to runway 02, however, upon contacting approach were advised of a RNP approach to runway 20. Descending through 1600 feet the crew established visual contact with what they believed was runway 20, disconnected the autopilot and visually aligned with the runway touching down on the runway under construction left of runway 20 (dubbed runway 20L in the following). The crew did not notice that the PAPI lights were not in the correct position for runway 20L (there are no PAPIs for runway 20L). The crew were not in possession of a NOTAM indicating the new runway under construction, neither ATIS nor ATC mentioned runway 20L. Runway 20L however was almost completed, markings in place, however, was not marked closed (no X marks), with runway 20L present runway 20 is "very hard" to see. In addition the landing occurred in afternoon sunshine which made it further difficult to see the runway surface.

Related NOTAMs:
A1056/18 - WIP ON NEW RWY (PARALLEL TO RWY 02/20, 300M EASTERN TO RWY 02/20 CENTRE LINE) AND RELATED TWYS. RMK: ALL PILOT ARE REQ TO PAY ATTENTION DURING LDG/TKOF AND FLW ATC INSTRUCTIONS STRICTLY. 02 MAY 05:50 2018 UNTIL 02 AUG 23:59 2018 ESTIMATED. CREATED: 02 MAY 05:50 2018

A3468/17 NOTAMN
Q) VVTS/QMRXX/IV/BO/A/000/999/1200N10913E005
A) VVCR B) 1712311701 C) PERM
E) A PORTION OF NEW RWY WILL BE OPS AND ONLY USED FOR MIL ACFT DETAIL
AS FLW:
- LENGTH: 300M
- WIDTH: 45M
- STRENGTH (PCN): 66/R/A/W/T
- SURFACE: CEMENT CONCRETE
- RWY EDGE:
+ WIDTH: 7.5M EACH SIDE
RMKS:
- CIVIL ACFT DO NOT OPS
- ALL TRAFFIC ARE REQ TO FLW ATC INSTRUCTIONS STRICTLY

Metars:
VVCR 290900Z 12006KT 9999 FEW015 30/25 Q1009 NOSIG=
VVCR 290830Z 11008KT 9999 FEW015 30/26 Q1009 NOSIG=
VVCR 290800Z 11007KT 070V150 9999 FEW015 31/26 Q1009 NOSIG=
VVCR 290730Z 11006KT 9999 FEW015 32/26 Q1010 NOSIG=
VVCR 290700Z 12008KT 9999 FEW015 32/26 Q1010 NOSIG=
VVCR 290630Z 10009KT 9999 FEW015 32/25 Q1010 NOSIG=
VVCR 290600Z 10009KT 9999 FEW015 33/25 Q1011 NOSIG=
VVCR 290530Z 10010KT 9999 FEW015 33/25 Q1011 NOSIG=
VVCR 290500Z 09009KT 9999 FEW015 33/25 Q1012 NOSIG=
VVCR 290430Z 09007KT 9999 FEW015 33/24 Q1012 NOSIG=
VVCR 290400Z 11011KT 9999 FEW015 32/24 Q1013 NOSIG=
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Apr 29, 2018

Classification
Incident

Flight number
VN-7344

Aircraft Registration
VN-A613

Aircraft Type
Airbus A321

ICAO Type Designator
A321

Airport ICAO Code
VVCR

This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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