Swiss A333 at Zurich on May 6th 2017, near collision with a drone

Last Update: October 2, 2017 / 13:11:39 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
May 6, 2017

Classification
Incident

Cause
Near collision

Airline
Swiss International Airlines

Flight number
LX-294

Departure
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Destination
Zurich, Switzerland

Aircraft Registration
HB-JHB

Aircraft Type
Airbus A330-300

ICAO Type Designator
A333

Airport
Zürich Airport, Zurich

Airport ICAO Code
LSZH

A Swiss International Airlines Airbus A330-300, registration HB-JHB performing flight LX-294 from Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania) to Zurich (Switzerland) with 185 passengers and 12 crew, was on final approach to Zurich's runway 34 about 20km (10.8nm) before the runway threshold descending through approximately 5000 feet when the aircraft nearly collided with a drone. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on runway 34.

Switzerland's SUST rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation into the occurrence describing the occurrence in German: "Fastkollision mit einer Drohne im Endanflug auf die Piste 34".

On Oct 2nd 2017 the SUST released their summary report in German reporting that the preceding landing aircraft had already reported seeing what appeared to be a drone to the left of the approach path at 5000 feet MSL which prompted the flight crew of HB-JHB to look out and spot the drone for about 2 seconds straight ahead and at same altitude.

The A330 was on a stabilized ILS approach to runway 34 when the crew got sight of they recognized as a multicopter drone, about one meter in diameter, but were unable to react before passing the drone. The drone passed an estimated about 10 meters/33 feet above the aircraft.

The SUST annotated, that the technical detection of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) as well as collision warning before RPAS is imperative, "Ansonsten ist eine Kollision mit einem Verkehrsflugzeug in geringen Flughöhen vor dem Hintergrund des starken Drohnenaufkommens nur noch eine Frage der Zeit." (otherwise a collision with an air transport aircraft at low altitude is only a matter of time considering the high number of drones).

The SUST concluded:

Despite the timely warning by the crew of the preceding aircraft and good visibility the crew of LX-294 was unable to detect the drone at their approach path at 5000 MSL in time. Consequently the crew was unable to perform an avoidance maneouver. The subsequent message to Zurich Approach in Schweizerdeutsch was correct but insufficient to make the contents known to all flight crews.

It is noticeable that the drone was along the approach trajectory at 5000 feet MSL above waypoint MILNI which makes it thinkable that the drone was placed there with the intention to create close up shots of arriving air transport aircraft.

Metars:
LSZH 060520Z 31004KT CAVOK 08/07 Q1012 NOSIG=
LSZH 060450Z 31004KT CAVOK 08/06 Q1012 NOSIG=
LSZH 060420Z 29005KT CAVOK 07/06 Q1012 NOSIG=
LSZH 060350Z 30006KT CAVOK 07/06 Q1011 NOSIG=
LSZH 060320Z 31005KT 290V010 CAVOK 07/06 Q1011 NOSIG=
LSZH 060250Z VRB03KT CAVOK 09/06 Q1012 NOSIG=
LSZH 060220Z 32004KT 270V010 CAVOK 09/06 Q1012 NOSIG=
LSZH 060150Z 33004KT 240V030 CAVOK 07/05 Q1012 NOSIG=
LSZH 060120Z 32007KT CAVOK 06/05 Q1012 NOSIG=
Aircraft Registration Data
Registration mark
HB-JHB
Country of Registration
Switzerland
Date of Registration
Fmpqhkbqpmidc Subscribe to unlock
Certification Basis
Gjkcmn Subscribe to unlock
Airworthyness Category
LcjgbcjgqpgpiAdk Subscribe to unlock
Legal Basis
Iqec Subscribe to unlock
TCDS Ident. No.
Eigng jfjd Subscribe to unlock
Manufacturer
AIRBUS S.A.S.
Aircraft Model / Type
A330-343
ICAO Aircraft Type
A333
Year of Manufacture
KAfb Subscribe to unlock
Serial Number
G dq Subscribe to unlock
Aircraft Address / Mode S Code (HEX)
Dcnjbp Subscribe to unlock
Max. Operational Passenger Seating Capacity (MOPSC), indicative
Dqp Subscribe to unlock
Minimum Crew
J Subscribe to unlock
Maximum Take off Mass (MTOM) [kg]
Cmjdhb Subscribe to unlock
Engine Count
P Subscribe to unlock
Engine
ejjbbqhelhhiAhfgnbmpm gifmj pf bfn Subscribe to unlock
Main Owner
CbkmhmAlqlfihhq iAhplf c jhmqfd lAdA ncjAgm eAmd pgjbAiqqdiecpebiAdimAngq Subscribe to unlock
Main Operator
FAmjdkqjhmAdc nq pqAlefeAlhfephdfkjkmhimnqdkfpeijjmmgh lb cgiAe bikemmhdi Subscribe to unlock
Incident Facts

Date of incident
May 6, 2017

Classification
Incident

Cause
Near collision

Airline
Swiss International Airlines

Flight number
LX-294

Departure
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Destination
Zurich, Switzerland

Aircraft Registration
HB-JHB

Aircraft Type
Airbus A330-300

ICAO Type Designator
A333

Airport
Zürich Airport, Zurich

Airport ICAO Code
LSZH

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