Swiftair AT72 at Sofia on Jan 21st 2016, loss of communication

Last Update: January 22, 2016 / 15:10:32 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jan 21, 2016

Classification
Incident

Airline
Swiftair

Flight number
7J-127A

Departure
Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Destination
Sofia, Bulgaria

Aircraft Registration
EC-KJA

Aircraft Type
ATR ATR-72-200

ICAO Type Designator
AT72

Airport
Sofia Airport, Sofia

Airport ICAO Code
LBSF

A Swiftair Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-202, registration EC-KJA performing flight 7J-127A from Plovdiv to Sofia (Bulgaria), was on approach to Sofia's runway 27 still in two way communication contact with approach control being cleared to descend to 7000 feet when approach control could no longer hear the aircraft and requested the crew to squawk ident if they heard the transmission by approach control. The aircraft squawked ident, approach control thus continued to vector the aircraft for an ILS approach runway 27, requested the crew to squawk ident if they managed to lower their gear and subsequently cleared the flight to land on runway 27. Tower in the meantime instructed all traffic to hold short of runway 27, the crew of one flight protesting stating they just saw the arriving aircraft go around but tower repeating instruction to hold short of the runway, the crew then advised they were monitoring the emergency frequency just in case. The crew of the Swiftair went around, positioned for another ILS approach to runway 27 with approach control continuing to vector the aircraft and the crew continuing to "read back" by squawking ident and landed safely.

The aircraft had originally performed flight 7J-1276 from Belgrade (Serbia) to Sofia but on descent towards Sofia stopped the descent at FL130 and diverted to Plovdiv.

The aircraft remained on the ground in Sofia for about 7 hours, then departed for the return flight SWT-1275 to Belgrade.

Sofia Metars:
LBSF 221400Z 27012KT 9999 FEW041 M04/M10 Q1030 NOSIG
LBSF 221330Z 28010KT 9999 SCT041 M04/M10 Q1030 NOSIG
LBSF 221300Z 27014KT 9999 FEW042 M04/M10 Q1030 NOSIG
LBSF 221230Z 27014KT 9999 FEW043 M04/M09 Q1030 NOSIG
LBSF 221200Z 28012KT CAVOK M02/M08 Q1030 NOSIG
LBSF 221130Z 27013KT 9999 FEW040 M04/M09 Q1030 NOSIG
LBSF 221100Z 27012KT 9999 FEW040 M04/M09 Q1030 NOSIG
LBSF 221030Z 27012KT 9999 FEW030 M04/M09 Q1030 NOSIG
LBSF 221000Z 27009KT 8000 NSC M05/M09 Q1030 NOSIG
LBSF 220930Z 27002KT 5000 BR NSC M05/M09 Q1031 NOSIG
LBSF 220900Z VRB02KT 2700 BR NSC M09/M12 Q1031 BECMG 5000 BR
LBSF 220830Z 12003KT 2100 BR NSC M10/M12 Q1031 BECMG 5000 BR
LBSF 220800Z VRB02KT 2200 BR NSC M10/M12 Q1031 BECMG 5000 BR
LBSF 220730Z VRB02KT 3000 BR NSC M10/M11 Q1030 BECMG 5000 BR
LBSF 220700Z 07003KT 350V120 1500 BR NSC M11/M12 Q1030 TEMPO 0800 FZFG
LBSF 220630Z 34005KT 1800 BR NSC M11/M12 Q1030 TEMPO 0800 FZFG
LBSF 220600Z VRB01KT 2500 BR NSC M10/M11 Q1029 TEMPO 1500 BR
LBSF 220530Z 35005KT 5000 BR NSC M09/M10 Q1029 TEMPO 4000 BR
LBSF 220500Z 35007KT 7000 NSC M11/M13 Q1029 NOSIG

Metars Plovdiv:
LBPD 220830Z AUTO 29016KT 9999 NCD M01/M08 Q1031 NOSIG
LBPD 220800Z AUTO 30013KT 9999 NCD M02/M08 Q1031 NOSIG
LBPD 220730Z AUTO 29013KT 9999 NCD M02/M08 Q1030 NOSIG
LBPD 220700Z AUTO 30010KT 9999 NCD M03/M09 Q1030 NOSIG
LBPD 220630Z AUTO 29012KT 9999 NCD M03/M09 Q1030 NOSIG
LBPD 220600Z AUTO 28014KT 9999 NCD M03/M08 Q1030 NOSIG
LBPD 220530Z AUTO 28012KT 9999 NCD M03/M08 Q1029 NOSIG
LBPD 220500Z AUTO 28013KT 9999 NCD M02/M08 Q1029 NOSIG
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jan 21, 2016

Classification
Incident

Airline
Swiftair

Flight number
7J-127A

Departure
Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Destination
Sofia, Bulgaria

Aircraft Registration
EC-KJA

Aircraft Type
ATR ATR-72-200

ICAO Type Designator
AT72

Airport
Sofia Airport, Sofia

Airport ICAO Code
LBSF

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