On Sunday 21st September, a Nouvelair Airbus A320-200 (TS-INP) operating a flight from Tunis, Tunisia to Nice, France, mistakenly lined up for landing on runway 04R instead of the cleared runway 04L. At the time, an easyJet Europe Airbus A320-200 (OE-IJZ) was in the process of lining up for departure to Nantes on 04R.
Descent To 50 Feet Above Ground
Despite being cleared to land on runway 04L, the Nouvelair aircraft continued its approach toward 04R, descending as low as 50 feet above the touchdown zone, alarmingly close to the easyJet aircraft. A go-around was initiated at the last moment, and the aircraft climbed to 4,000 feet before successfully repositioning and landing on the correct runway without further incident.
The easyJet flight vacated the runway safely, but the departure was subsequently cancelled as a precaution.
Weather & Visibility
At the time of the incident, weather conditions at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (LFMN) were fair enough for visual identification of aircraft on or near the runway:
· Wind: 350° at 3 knots
· Visibility: 8,000 metres
· Conditions: Light thunderstorms and rain
· Clouds: Scattered at 3,000ft, broken at 5,000ft and 1,400ft
These conditions suggest that visual cues should have been sufficient to distinguish the parallel runways and identify the presence of the easyJet aircraft.
A Complex Operational Environment
Nice Airport is notoriously complex, particularly due to its proximity to mountainous terrain and the Mediterranean Sea. It features parallel runways (04L/04R) with close spacing, which can contribute to confusion during visual approaches, especially when pilots are manually navigating after vectors or visual clearances.
Investigation Underway
French BEA (Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses) has launched an investigation into the serious runway incursion event. Preliminary findings are expected to focus on:
· Whether the crew of the Nouvelair aircraft properly briefed the approach
· Air Traffic Control instructions and situational awareness
· Visibility of signage and parallel runway lighting
· Possible CRM (Crew Resource Management) and fatigue factors
This incident follows a trend of recent near misses globally, highlighting the continued need for vigilance during final approach, especially at airports with closely spaced parallel runways.
This serious incident at Nice underscores the critical importance of precise runway alignment, especially at airports with complex layouts and parallel configurations. While no damage or injuries occurred, the event serves as a stark reminder that even in good visibility, human error and situational misjudgement remain potent risks during approach. The ongoing investigation will shed further light, but it is clear that constant vigilance, strict adherence to procedures, and enhanced crew awareness are key to preventing future occurrences.
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