Spanish investigators have detailed an encounter at Menorca airport in which a light aircraft flew into conflict with a Monarch Airlines Airbus A321 on final approach.
The A321 (G-OZBH) had been conducting an ILS approach to runway 01, states Spanish investigation authority CIAIAC.
Approach control had instructed the light aircraft – a single-engined Aquila A210 on the German registry – to pass behind the A321 while crossing the localiser.
But the A210, which was operating under visual flight rules, instead crossed perpendicular to the localiser and passed 400ft directly below the airliner.
At this point the A321 was 2.5nm from the runway which, on a typical 3° ILS approach path, would have placed it at a height of some 850ft.
The approach path to runway 01 is over water at this distance from the threshold.
CIAIAC says the A321 crew received a collision-avoidance warning, ordering the aircraft to level off, and opted to execute a missed approach. The A210 (D-EPIG) continued on its course.
Meteorological data for Menorca airport shows that visibility was good at the time of the incident on 21 July this year.
None of the occupants was injured and the A321 subsequently landed safely after a second approach.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
