TAP A20N at Prague on Jan 17th 2026, descended below minimum safe altitude on approach

Last Update: April 29, 2026 / 15:06:56 GMT/Zulu time

Bookmark this article

Photo of TAP Air Portugal CS-TVG, Airbus A320-200N — TAP Air Portugal CS-TVG, Airbus A320-200N (Photo credit: HawkeyeUK / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jan 17, 2026

Classification
Incident

Airline
TAP Air Portugal

Flight number
TP-1240

Departure
Lisbon, Portugal

Destination
Prague, Czech Republic

Aircraft Registration
CS-TVG

Aircraft Type
Airbus A320-200N

ICAO Type Designator
A20N

Airport
Ruzyně International Airport, Prague

Airport ICAO Code
LKPR

A TAP Air Portugal Airbus A320-200N, registration CS-TVG performing flight TP-1240 from Lisbon (Portugal) to Prague (Czech Republic), was on final approach to Prague's runway 06 about 17nm before the runway threshold when the aircraft so far maintaining 4000 feet entered a steep descent to about 2600 feet MSL (compensated for ambient pressure, 2425 feet according to ADS-B transponder) with the ground elevation at that point being 481 meters/1577 feet MSL) or about 1000 feet AGL, way below the minimum safe altitude (3600 feet MSL) before the crew initiated a steep climb to about 5200 feet MSL, entered a left 360, levelled off again at 4000 feet MSL and continued the approach from 4000 feet MSL for a safe landing about 11 minutes after the premature descent.

The aircraft departed for the return flight on schedule.

On Feb 12th 2026 Czechia's UZPLN reported that ATC detected a violation of the 4000 feet cleared altitude, the crew responded to the controller's instructions. The occurrence was rated a serious incident and is being investigated.

According to information The Aviation Herald received, the aircraft was cleared for an ILS approach to runway 06, but descended below cleared altitude and below minimum safe altitude at high speed and high sink rate. Subsequently they performed a terrain escape maneouver.

On Feb 13th 2026 the UZPLN reported: "During approach to ILS06 at LKPR, there was descending below cleared altitude (4000 ft) with high rate of descent (approx. 3000 ft/m) and increasing speed. Flight crew was warned by ATC twice, during second warning from ATC, flight crew reported terrain warning and started to climb. Lowest altitude (RALT) was 968 ft above terrain. After recovery, the aircraft climbed to 5,850 ft. Second attempt for approach and landing was uneventful."

In April 2026 the UZPLN reported in their quarterly bulletin, that the aircraft had been cleared to descend to 4000 feet and subsequently was cleared for an ILS approach to runway 06. However, after passing the BAROX waypoint the aircraft continued to descend below 4000 feet. Descending through 3500 feet a Minimum Safe Altitude Warning (MSAW) activated on the controller's desk, who instructed the crew to climb to 4000 feet. The crew acknowledged the instruction, the aircraft however continued to descend. The controller repeated the instruction to climb to 4000 feet, the crew acknowledged again, reported a terrain (TAWS) warning and initiated a steep climb to 5800 feet. The occurrence was rated a serious incident and is being investigated, the event is being analysed on the base of FDR data, a CVR recording is not available. The UZPLN reported the pilot flying's perceiption they were high on approach led to an intercept of the glideslope from above with air brakes extended, no flaps, at a vertical speed between 2000 and 3000 fpm. The pilot monitoring alerted the pilot flying they were below the vertical profile.

The UZPLN stated the minimum altitude reached was 2563 feet (968 feet radar altitude) at 304 KIAS. During the transition to climb the vertical acceleration was 2.0G.

The UZPLN stated that there had been no approach briefing, the flight managament system was prepared by the pilot monitoring. Ineffective crew communication as well as failure in Threat and Error Management and delayed response to warnings contributed to the occurrence.

Factors related to the pilot monitoring were:
- multiple tasks simultaneously
- monitoring and communication
- rapid changes in flight parameters
- high workload
- expectation of a response from the pilot flying
- considered intervention

The last barriers were:
- EGPWS/MSAW
- Importance of CRM and briefing

Metars:
LKPR 171200Z 11005KT 2600 0700NE R06/P2000N R30/P2000N BR BCFG SCT002 BKN005 OVC011 02/02 Q1023 NOSIG=
LKPR 171130Z 12006KT 3200 0900NE R06/P2000N R30/P2000N BR BCFG SCT003 BKN006 OVC013 02/02 Q1023 NOSIG=
LKPR 171100Z 06006KT 2600 0900NE R24/2000U R30/P2000N BR BCFG SCT002 BKN004 OVC012 02/02 Q1023 NOSIG=
LKPR 171030Z 07005KT 0500 R24/0070U R30/P2000N -DZ PRFG SCT002 BKN003 OVC012 02/02 Q1023 TEMPO 0400 PRFG BKN002=
LKPR 171000Z 11006KT 2500 0900NE R06/P2000N R30/P2000N BR BCFG SCT003 BKN005 OVC012 02/02 Q1023 TEMPO 3000 BR BKN007=
LKPR 170930Z 11006KT 2800 0900NE R06/P2000N R30/P2000N BR BCFG SCT003 BKN005 OVC012 02/02 Q1023 TEMPO 3000 BR BKN007=
LKPR 170900Z 11006KT 2600 0800NE R24/1000D R30/P2000N BR BCFG SCT002 BKN005 OVC012 02/02 Q1023 TEMPO 3000 BR BKN007=
LKPR 170830Z 07007KT 1600 0800NE R24/0800U R30/P2000N BR BCFG SCT002 BKN004 OVC012 02/02 Q1023 TEMPO 2500 BR BKN007=
LKPR 170800Z 07009KT 0600 R24/0650D R30/P2000N -DZ PRFG VV002 01/01 Q1023 NOSIG=
LKPR 170730Z 07007KT 0800 R24/0800D R30/P2000U -DZ PRFG VV002 01/01 Q1023 NOSIG=
LKPR 170700Z 07008KT 0700 R24/0600N R30/1000D -DZ PRFG VV002 01/01 Q1022 TEMPO 0500 FG=