The UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has released its report into a sink rate/go-around incident involving a TUI Airways Boeing 737-8K5 on June 12, 2023.
The aircraft, G-FDZX (c/n 37258), was approaching Runway 05R at Manchester Airport at 1630hrs when it encountered a thunderstorm near the airfield. Despite the airline recommending that approaches be discontinued in these conditions, the pilots decided to continue with the landing until the decision height as they still had visual contact with the runway.
However, when the jet reached the decision height of 390ft, visual reference was lost, and the 737 “experienced a sudden loss of headwind which caused a loss of airspeed” and altitude.
The aircraft was returning from Zakynthos with six crew members and 181 passengers on board. The pilots had known of the thunderstorm risk across the UK and had loaded extra fuel in case of extended routings or delays.
As the 737 approached Manchester, with the commander flying, they routed to the north of the airfield to avoid visible cumulonimbus clouds to the south before being vectored onto the ILS approach for Runway 05R. The weather radar highlighted a storm cell that was moving left to right. However, as they were below th…
