Aeroflot B738 at Moscow on Jan 24th 2021, high speed, high sink rate ILS approach, GPWS alert

Last Update: February 10, 2021 / 09:50:21 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jan 24, 2021

Classification
Incident

Airline
Aeroflot

Flight number
SU-1259

Departure
Ufa, Russia

Destination
Moscow Sheremetyevo, Russia

Aircraft Registration
VP-BPF

Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-800

ICAO Type Designator
B738

An Aeroflot Boeing 737-800, registration VP-BPF performing flight SU-1259 from Ufa to Moscow Sheremetyevo (Russia), was on an ILS approach to Sheremetyevo's runway 06R, the captain was pilot flying, autopilot and autothrust were off. The aircraft was flying with clean wings until the turn to intercept the final approach course, 42 knots of wind were experienced. Slowing through 228 KIAS in the turn the crew set flaps 1, captured the localizer, thrust idle and slowing, gear up. The crew deployed flaps to position 2 and 5, the aircraft intercepts the glide path at 4070 feet MSL. At 3340 feet MSL the crew sets flaps 10 at 196 KIAS with a rate of descent between 1100 and 1300 fpm, at 3030 feet MSL the gear is extended. At 2360 feet flaps are extended to 15 degrees at 185 KIAS, at 2020 feetMSL the crew extends the flaps to 25 degrees at 182 KIAS and a rate of descent between 1300 and 1600 fpm. Speedbrakes are not being used. The flight director continues to indicate necessity to descend, the captain following the indications increased the descent to 2680 fpm, the aircraft reaches a pitch of 8 degrees nose down. GPWS sounds the "sink rate" warning, the captain reduces the descent to 1600 fpm. The flaps system goes into relief mode (flaps selected to 25 degrees but retracting to relief load). At a speed of 263 KIAS and 1280 fpm rate of descent the GPWS sounds "TOO LOW TERRAIN! PULL UP!" at 481 feet radio altitude (AGL), according to ADS-B data about 0.45nm before the runway threshold. The captain initiated a go around, the aircraft reaches a maximum speed of 285 KIAS (with flaps retracted to 5 degrees as result of flaps relief), climbs the aircraft to 3000 feet, positions for another approach and landed the aircraft safely and without further incident on Sheremetyevo's runway 06R about 20 minutes after the go around.

The airline reported apart from an unstabilized call, the descent at high vertical speed below 1000 feet AGL and the GPWS alert "TOO LOW TERRAIN" the aircraft exceeded the maximum flaps speed for 40 seconds. There were no injuries. The airline investigates the occurrence.

The occurrence aircraft returned to service on Jan 27th 2021.

Metars:
UUEE 242100Z 14004MPS 3900 BR SCT005 OVC040 03/02 Q1010 R06R/520240 R06C/520235 NOSIG=
UUEE 242030Z 14004MPS 4100 BR OVC005 03/02 Q1010 R06R/520240 R06C/520235 NOSIG=
UUEE 242000Z 14004MPS 3800 BR OVC004 03/02 Q1010 R06R/520240 R06C/520235 NOSIG=
UUEE 241930Z 14004MPS 3200 -DZ BR OVC003 02/02 Q1010 R06R/520240 R06C/520235 NOSIG=
UUEE 241900Z 15004MPS 110V170 2600 -DZ BR OVC002 02/02 Q1010 R06R/520240 R06C/520235 NOSIG RMK QBB060=
UUEE 241830Z 15004MPS 2400 -DZ BR OVC002 02/02 Q1010 R06R/520240 R06C/520235 NOSIG RMK QBB060=
UUEE 241800Z 15005MPS 2500 -DZ BR OVC002 02/02 Q1010 R06R/520240 R06C/520235 NOSIG RMK QBB060=
UUEE 241730Z 14005MPS 2400 -DZ BR OVC002 02/02 Q1010 R06R/520240 R06C/520235 NOSIG=
UUEE 241700Z 14005MPS 2600 -DZ BR OVC002 02/01 Q1010 R06R/520240 R06C/520235 NOSIG=
UUEE 241630Z 13004MPS 2600 -DZ BR OVC002 02/02 Q1010 R06R/520240 R06C/520235 NOSIG=
UUEE 241600Z 14005MPS 2200 -DZ BR OVC002 02/01 Q1010 R06R/520240 R06C/520235 NOSIG=
UUEE 241530Z 13006MPS 2400 -DZ BR OVC002 02/01 Q1010 R06R/520240 R06C/520235 NOSIG=
UUEE 241500Z 13005G11MPS 2800 -DZ BR OVC002 02/01 Q1010 R06R/520240 R06C/520235 NOSIG RMK QBB060=
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jan 24, 2021

Classification
Incident

Airline
Aeroflot

Flight number
SU-1259

Departure
Ufa, Russia

Destination
Moscow Sheremetyevo, Russia

Aircraft Registration
VP-BPF

Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-800

ICAO Type Designator
B738

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