Canada A319 and Qantas B744 at Vancouver on Jan 16th 2020, loss of separation in low viz operations

Last Update: May 7, 2020 / 17:40:31 GMT/Zulu time

Bookmark this article

Photo of Air Canada C-FZUL, Airbus A319 — Air Canada C-FZUL, Airbus A319 (Photo credit: formulanone / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jan 16, 2020

Classification
Incident

Airline
Air Canada

Flight number
AC-557

Departure
Los Angeles, United States

Destination
Vancouver, Canada

Aircraft Registration
C-FZUL

Aircraft Type
Airbus A319

ICAO Type Designator
A319

Airport
Vancouver International Airport, Vancouver

Airport ICAO Code
CYVR

An Air Canada Airbus A319-100, registration C-FZUL performing flight AC-557 from Los Angeles,CA (USA) to Vancouver,BC (Canada) was on a CATIII ILS Approach to Vancouver's runway 08R.

At that time a Qantas Boeing 747-400, registration VH-OEF performing flight QF-76 from Vancouver,BC (Canada) to Sydney,NS (Australia), was cleared to line up runway 08R. The crew had advised they needed a 30 seconds engine run up time, taxied into position and immediately began their engine run up. QF-76 received takeoff clearance and commenced takeoff when AC-557 was about 5.9nm before the runway threshold.

The Canadian TSB reported, when the Boeing 747-400 overflew the localizer, the separation between the two aircraft had reduced to 2.8nm.

AC-557 continued their final approach for a landing without further incident. The Boeing 747-400 continued to Sydney without further incident.

The Canadian TSB added: "A loss of separation occurred as per the Vancouver Tower Unit Operations Manual (UOM) and Manual of Air Traffic Service (MATS) Tower/ACC stating a departing aircraft has to pass overhead of the localizer site before the next CAT II/III arriving aircraft is at 4 NM final."

Metars:
CYVR 170700Z 08009KT 20SM R08L/2600V4000FT/U FEW100 M03/M03 A2985 RMK AC2 SLP110=
CYVR 170600Z 10008KT 15SM FEW090 M04/M05 A2982 RMK AC1 SLP101=
CYVR 170533Z 09006KT 20SM R08R/2400FT/N R08L/1200FT/N FEW005 FEW120 M04/M05 A2981 RMK SF1AC1 AC TR SLP096=
CYVR 170521Z 09007KT 10SM R08R/2000FT/N R08L/1200FT/N BKN006 M04/M05 A2981 RMK SF5 VIS N 11/2 ROOF TOP VIS N 15 SLP095=
CYVR 170517Z 09008KT 3/4SM R08R/2000FT/N R08L/1200FT/N BR BKN005 M04/M04 A2980 RMK FG1SF6 SLP094=
CYVR 170500Z 10010KT 3/4SM R08R/2200FT/N R08L/2000FT/N BR OVC004 M03/M03 A2980 RMK FG2SF6 VIS N 1/2 SLP091=
CYVR 170416Z 10010KT 3/4SM R08R/P6000FT/N R08L/P6000FT/N BR BKN004 M03/M04 A2979 RMK FG4SF1 VIS N 1/2 SLP089=
CYVR 170400Z 10010KT 20SM FEW003 FEW009 FEW018 M02/M03 A2978 RMK SF1ST1SC1 SF TR SLP087=
CYVR 170300Z 09008KT 20SM FEW130 M02/M03 A2977 RMK AC1 SLP082=
CYVR 170200Z 10008KT 30SM FEW048 FEW130 M01/M02 A2974 RMK SC1AC1 SLP074=
CYVR 170100Z 09009KT 30SM FEW048 SCT130 00/M02 A2973 RMK SC1AC2 SLP068=
CYVR 170000Z 14006KT 30SM SCT046 SCT100 02/M01 A2970 RMK SC3AC1 SLP060=