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Jet Airways Flight 555 Incident (2015)

Jul 11, 2024

Jet Airways Flight 555 Incident (2015)

Summary

  • Jet Airways Flight 555 (Boeing 737-800) from Doha, Qatar to Cochin, India
  • Date: August 17, 2015
  • Passengers: 142, Crew: 8
  • Faced poor weather, low visibility, and lacked Instrument Landing System (ILS) at Trivandrum, Kerala
  • Flight attempted to land 6 times due to visibility issues
  • Critically low on fuel (only 10 minutes left) by final landing attempt
  • Managed to land with only 5 minutes of fuel remaining
  • Incident inspired the Bollywood movie "Runway 34"

Flight Plan and Crew Details

  • Departure: Hamad International Airport, Doha, Qatar
  • Destination: Cochin International Airport, Kerala, India
  • Alternate Airports: Initially Bengaluru, secondary Coimbatore, later changed to Trivandrum
  • Crew: Captain (40 years, 6700 hours) and First Officer (25 years, 1500 hours)

Key Factors and Decision Points

  1. Weather and Visibility

    • Initial weather report 10 hours old: good weather in Cochin (visibility 4000m)
    • Updated weather reports during flight indicated worsening conditions (visibility decreased to 1500-3500m)

  2. Fuel Calculations and Management

    • Total fuel: 16,100 kg (6 hours 13 minutes)
    • Fuel breakdown: Trip fuel, contingency fuel, alternate fuel, final reserve fuel, APU burn
    • Critically low on fuel after multiple landing attempts (final reserve fuel threshold crossed)
    • Fuel considerations led to decision-making under pressure: changing alternate from Bengaluru to Trivandrum

  3. Landing Attempts

    • First Attempt: Missed approach due to zero visibility (5:28 am IST)
    • Second Attempt: Same result; visibility not improving (5:47 am IST)
    • Third Attempt: Worsening weather, another missed approach
    • Trivandrum Diversion: ILS unavailable, haze conditions, unnecessary risks
    • Fourth Attempt (Trivandrum): Go-around after insufficient runway sighting
    • Fifth Attempt (Trivandrum): Another missed approach, 15 minutes of fuel remaining
    • Sixth Attempt and Final Landing: Successfully landed on runway 32 (7:10 am IST)

Incident Analysis and Findings

  • Causal Factors
    • Lack of company policy on number of approach attempts in poor weather
    • Poor decision to re-designate Trivandrum as an alternate without suitable weather conditions
  • Captains Decisions and Risks
    • Pressing for additional landing attempts due to fuel constraints
    • Not considering weather updates at Coimbatore
  • Safety Recommendations
    • Implementation of policies limiting approach attempts
    • Training for low fuel scenarios and decision making
  • Post-landing
    • Weather improved; plane refueled and departed safely to Cochin

Aftermath

  • Jet Airways ceased operations in 2019
  • The aircraft involved was sold to GOL, a Brazilian operator

Additional Notes

  • Case highlights the dangers of "get-there-itis" and the critical need for precise fuel management and clear emergency protocols
  • Emphasizes the importance of robust decision-making processes and thorough training exercises for flight crews

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