Jetstar pilots forgot landing gear

Report finds distracted Jetstar pilots failed to extend the landing gear while landing at Ballina Airport.

An Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation has found a plane was forced to go around when an alarm alerted the pilots to the fact the landing gear wasn’t down. Photo: Marc McCormack

A Jetstar aircraft coming into land at Ballina Airport on the New South Wales’ north coast, was forced to go around when an alarm alerted the pilots to the fact the landing gear wasn’t down.

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The A320 had already conducted one go around at the captain’s command because the aircraft was coming in too high and too fast for a stable landing.

An Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation into the incident on May 18 last year, found on the second attempt at landing a “master warning” was triggered because the landing gear had not been selected “down”.

After another go around, it was a case of third time lucky with the aeroplane landing without further incident.

ATSB transport safety director Stuart Godley said the report noted that an incorrect aircraft configuration for landing was rarely the result of a single action of identifiable event.

“In this case a number of factors, such as distraction and limited use of aircraft automation, combined to result in the landing gear not being selected to down,” Dr Godley said.

“While highly undesirable, it should be noted that the aircraft’s warning system effectively alerted the flight crew to the problem and the crew responded promptly to the warning and initiated a second go around.”

The report came at an unfortunate time for Jetstar pilots who are preparing to stop work this weekend over stalled enterprise bargaining negotiations.

The airline claims the pilots want a 15 per cent immediate pay rise but the Australian Federation of Air Pilots said this was not true.

“Put simply, Jetstar have manufactured the alleged 15 per cent increase based on inaccurate and flawed costings of our non-salary claims, such as those claims relating to rostering and fatigue mitigation,” said AFAP executive director Simon Lutton.

He said pilots were seeking 3 per cent annual increases.

This weekend’s action will involve four-hour stop work periods by pilots, who voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action.

Other work bans will be implemented next week but the action will be suspended over the busy Christmas-New Year period.

Jetstar CEO Gareth Evans has described the action as “extremely disappointing” but promised the airline would work hard to minimise any impacts on passengers.

Refunds are also available for passengers whose flights are cancelled or excessively delayed by industrial action.