Investigators are probing an incident in which a Qatar Airways Airbus A350-900 executed a go-around after touching down at Islamabad, apparently after an unstable approach.
The aircraft had been arriving from Doha on 16 April and was conducting the ILS Z approach to runway 28L.
According to French investigation authority BEA, citing Pakistani counterparts, the crew was in contact with the tower controllers after establishing the aircraft on final.
But the pilot reported executing a go-around from the touchdown point “due to an unstable approach”, says BEA, with the aircraft “offset from the centreline”.
It has not indicated the extent of the offset, or any other details of the approach.
The tower controller reported that the go-around was initiated after the aircraft’s main landing-gear had contacted the runway in the vicinity of taxiway G – which lies about 550m from the runway 28L threshold.
Although the pilot reported all operations were normal, BEA says the crew was informed that the tower had seen the main gear touch the runway. It adds that fire and rescue services were alerted.
The French authority describes the event as a “serious” incident, but the full circumstances have yet to become clear. Meteorological data indicates the presence of gusting crosswinds from the right.
After carrying out the ILS Z approach again, the aircraft – identified by BEA as A7-ALN – landed safely 12min after the first attempt. None of those on board was injured.
