AO-2004-006

On Tuesday 16 November 2004, HL7597 was a Boeing 777-200, operating as flight AAR 607 on a scheduled flight from Incheon, South Korea to Auckland with 200 passengers and 17 crew on board. As AAR 607 approached Auckland runway 23L, a work party was cleared onto the closed section of the runway for further work. However, the work party were concerned about the low approach of the landing aircraft, so elected to remain clear of the runway. Despite repeated air traffic control advice to the crew about the displaced threshold on runway 23L, AAR 607 landed short of the displaced threshold in an area where the runway workers could have been. No injury or damage resulted.

An unobstructed runway and the crew flying a stepped approach, which placed them below the normal glidepath for the displaced threshold, may have contributed to the crew’s actions. Poor communication skills may have also been a factor.

The serious incident was not notified to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and thus the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC), until after the aircraft and crew had left New Zealand. As a result TAIC was unable to interview the crew immediately after the event and so could not accurately determine all the contributory factors to the incident.

Safety issues identified included:

- the benefit of flying constant angle approaches
- the presentation of instrument approach charts
- the effect on compliance and competency of crews having English as a second language
- the need to improve runway markings for displaced threshold operations
- the timely notification of serious incidents

Safety recommendations were made to the operator, the aerodrome operator and the air traffic services provider to address these issues.