Norwegian B738 at Malaga on Mar 12th 2016, near collision with paraglider

Last Update: January 11, 2017 / 15:50:57 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of Norwegian Air Shuttle LN-NHG, Boeing 737-800 — Norwegian Air Shuttle LN-NHG, Boeing 737-800 (Photo credit: flybyeigenheer / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Mar 12, 2016

Classification
Report

Cause
Near collision

Airline
Norwegian Air Shuttle

Flight number
D8-5579

Departure
London Gatwick, United Kingdom

Destination
Malaga, Spain

Aircraft Registration
LN-NHG

Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-800

ICAO Type Designator
B738

A Norwegian Air Shuttle Boeing 737-800, registration LN-NHG performing flight D8-5579 from London Gatwick,EN (UK) to Malaga,SP (Spain) with 180 passengers and 6 crew, was descending through 7000 feet about to intercept the localizer for final approach to Malaga's runway 13 with the autopilot already disconnected when the crew spotted an object, at very first thought to be bird, straight in front of them, about 1-2 seconds both flight crew identified a paraglider. The captain (45, ATPL, 6,185 hours total, 5,630 hours on type), pilot flying, immediately flew an evasive maneouver turning the aircraft to the right, the paraglider also turned to his right, thus avoiding a collision. The paraglider passed the aircraft within 100 meters/330 feet estimated off the Boeing's left hand wing. The crew continued the approach for a safe landing a few minutes later.

Spain's CIAIAC released their final report concluding the probable cause of the incident was:

The incident was caused by the presence of a paraglider in the aircraft’s flight path inside an area that was off limits to the paraglider. It occurred as the aircraft was on approach to runway 13 at the Malaga Airport and forced the crew to make an evasive maneuver by turning right.

The CIAIAC reported the paraglider could not be identified complaining two letters to paragliding associations remained unanswered. The paraglider had not been detected by radar.

The CIAIAC reported that both flight crew spotted an object, believed to be a bird in the first 1-2 seconds then recognized as a paraglider, when the aircraft was descending through 7000 feet, the captain immediately turned the aircraft to the right, the paraglider also turned to his right. Both flight crew estimated that the paraglider passed their aircraft about 100 meters off their left hand wing.

The CIAIAC quoted the captain's safety report:

Returning from Gatwick, and on approach to the Malaga Airport, we were cleared to 5,500 ft 15 NM away on final to runway 13. I was the pilot in command and the autopilot was disengaged. At 7,000 ft the first officer and I saw something in front of us, and we thought it was a bird. A second or two later we identified it as a paraglider. I instantly made a right turn at a 30° bank angle to avoid a collision. The paraglider also turned to its right and passed within 100 m of our left wing. We then contacted the tower to report the presence of the paraglider at 6,800 ft and 5 NM east of point NEPUR. The tower confirmed they had no reports of paragliding activity in that area.

We would probably agree with the person in the paraglider that it was our lucky day. I cannot begin to imagine what would have happened if the autopilot had still been engaged or if we had not looked outside. We definitely would not have been able to make the evasive maneuver.