Easyjet A21N at Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura on Sep 26th 2022, landed below final fuel reserve

Last Update: October 17, 2024 / 11:52:46 GMT/Zulu time

Bookmark this article

Photo of Easyjet G-UZMF, Airbus A321-Neo — Easyjet G-UZMF, Airbus A321-Neo (Photo credit: Anna Zvereva / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Sep 26, 2022

Classification
Incident

Airline
Easyjet

Flight number
U2-6195

Departure
Bristol, United Kingdom

Destination
Gran Canaria, Spain

Aircraft Registration
G-UZMF

Aircraft Type
Airbus A321-Neo

ICAO Type Designator
A21N

An Easyjet Airbus A321-200N, registration G-UZMF performing flight U2-6195 from Bristol,EN (UK) to Gran Canaria,CI (Spain) with 190 passengers and 7 crew, was on final approach to Gran Canaria's runway 03R when the crew needed to go around due to deteriorating weather conditions resulting in insufficient visibility The aircraft climbed to FL100 and diverted to Fuerteventura,CI (Spain) declaring a fuel emergency where the aircraft landed about 25 minutes later.

Spain's CIAIAC reported the aircraft landed with 900kg of fuel remaining, about 100kg below the final reserve minimum and opened an investigation.

On Oct 17th 2024 the CIAIAC released their final report in Spanish only (Editorial note: to serve the purpose of global prevention of the repeat of causes leading to an occurrence an additional timely release of all occurrence reports in the only world spanning aviation language English would be necessary, a Spanish only or no release does not achieve this purpose as set by ICAO annex 13 and just forces many aviators to waste much more time and effort each in trying to understand the circumstances leading to the occurrence. Aviators operating internationally are required to read/speak English besides their local language, investigators need to be able to read/write/speak English to communicate with their counterparts all around the globe).

The report concludes the probable causes of the incident were:

- inadequate flight planning by not properly assessing the status of instrument aids for runway 03 in combination with deteriorating weather conditions at the destination airport

- after the fuel emergency declaration by the aircraft air traffic control did not act in accordance with the procedures established for emergency situations in which the aircraft found itself

The CIAIAC stated the aircraft landed with 915 kg of fuel remaining, 86 kg below required minimum fuel. Preflight information available to the crew indicated that runway 03L, normally used for landings, was closed and its ILS approaches were not available. The runway in use was thus 03R requiring an instrument approach to runway 03L and move laterally to runway 03R under visual conditions.

The CIAIAC analysed that Lanzarote and Fuerteventura were assigned as alternate airports by dispatch requiring a fuel load of 10,907kg. The crew only considered it necessary to top the fuel up by 93kg to 11,000kg. Due to the deteriorating weather conditions the approach to Gran Canaria took about 18 minutes longer than normal, then the aircraft went around, declared fuel emergency and decided to divert to Fuerteventura. ATC did not act in accordance with procedures so that Fuerteventura ATC and airport remained unaware that the aircraft had declared emergency.

The CIAIAC further analysed that the crew noted before intercepting runway 03L localizer that their fuel was sufficient to carry out the approach, divert to Fuerteventura and land with minimum fuel. However, after aborting the approach at about 980 feet MSL the crew detected the fuel was insufficient to divert to Fuerteventura and land with minimum fuel (the diversion to Lanzarote would have added about 200kg of fuel consumption). The crew declared fuel emergency. ATC did not react according to the procedures, in particular: the emergency status was not acknowledged, additional information like people on board, dangerous goods etc. were not collected, the next control units were not informed about the emergency status. The controller receiving the emergency declaration likely misinterpreted the transmission and did not apply the prescribed procedures as result.

Metars Gran Canaria:
GCLP 262100Z 35011KT 9000 -RA FEW012 BKN016 BKN030 21/20 Q1018 RERA TEMPO RA=
GCLP 262045Z 35010KT 9000 -RA FEW012 BKN016 BKN030 21/20 Q1018 RERA TEMPO RA=
GCLP 262030Z 35010KT 6000 RA FEW012 BKN018 BKN030 21/20 Q1018 NOSIG=
GCLP 262020Z 34010KT 6000 RA SCT012 BKN017 21/21 Q1017 NOSIG=
GCLP 262000Z 01008KT 340V050 9999 -RA SCT014 BKN020 21/21 Q1017 RERA TEMPO RA=
GCLP 261946Z 36007KT 330V060 8000 RA SCT012 BKN016 22/21 Q1017 TEMPO NSW=
GCLP 261930Z 34007KT 9999 -RA SCT012 BKN020 22/21 Q1017 TEMPO RA=
GCLP 261900Z 02008KT 340V050 8000 FEW007 SCT012 BKN020 22/21 Q1017 NOSIG=
GCLP 261830Z 03007KT 8000 -DZ FEW007 SCT010 BKN017 22/21 Q1016 TEMPO RA=
GCLP 261800Z 05005KT 010V100 9999 3000W -DZ FEW005 SCT010 BKN017 22/21 Q1016 TEMPO RA=
GCLP 261740Z 07006KT 030V100 7000 3000W -RA FEW005 SCT010 BKN017 22/21 Q1016 TEMPO RA=
GCLP 261730Z 08008KT 050V110 3000 -RA FEW005 BKN010 BKN015 22/21 Q1016 RERA TEMPO RA=
GCLP 261717Z 08008KT 060V120 3500 RA SCT005 BKN010 22/21 Q1016 TEMPO NSW=
GCLP 261706Z 08008KT 050V110 6000 2500SW RA FEW005 BKN010 22/21 Q1016 TEMPO NSW=
GCLP 261700Z 08010KT 6000 2500S -RA FEW005 BKN010 BKN014 22/21 Q1016 TEMPO RA=
GCLP 261630Z 07010KT 040V110 8000 3500S -RA FEW008 BKN011 BKN018 22/21 Q1015 TEMPO RA=
GCLP 261621Z 07010KT 9999 4500S FEW008 BKN012 BKN022 22/21 Q1015 NOSIG=
GCLP 261600Z 07010KT 9999 FEW008 BKN016 BKN022 22/21 Q1015 RERA NOSIG=
GCLP 261550Z 08009KT 040V130 7000 -RA FEW008 BKN014 BKN020 22/21 Q1015 RERA NOSIG=
GCLP 261537Z 10009KT 080V140 6000 2500S RA SCT008 BKN012 22/21 Q1015 TEMPO NSW=
GCLP 261530Z 11010KT 080V150 9999 4000S -RA FEW008 BKN012 22/21 Q1015 NOSIG=

Metars Fuerteventura:
GCFV 262100Z 06013KT 9999 SCT024 22/19 Q1018=
GCFV 262030Z 05012KT 9999 SCT024 22/19 Q1018=
GCFV 262000Z 06013KT 9999 SCT024 22/18 Q1017=
GCFV 261930Z 06012KT 9999 FEW020 SCT026 22/18 Q1017=
GCFV 261900Z 07014KT 9999 FEW020 SCT037 22/18 Q1017=
GCFV 261830Z 06015KT 9999 FEW020 BKN037 22/18 Q1016=
GCFV 261800Z 06015KT 9999 FEW020 BKN037 21/19 Q1016=
GCFV 261730Z 06013KT 8000 -RA FEW020 BKN037 21/19 Q1016=
GCFV 261700Z 05011KT 9999 -RA FEW020 BKN037 22/20 Q1016=
GCFV 261630Z 06012KT 9999 -RA FEW017 BKN028 22/20 Q1016=
GCFV 261600Z 08010KT 9999 FEW017 BKN028 22/20 Q1016=
GCFV 261530Z 08013KT 8000 FEW018 SCT030 23/20 Q1015 RERA=