- Errors can occur irrespective of pilot experience, operator, aircraft type, location and take-off (or landing) performance calculation method.
A data entry error contributed to a slow approach speed and a nose high landing of a Qantas Boeing 737, Adelaide Airport, South Australia in October last year.
Prior to commencing the descent to Adelaide Airport, the monitoring pilot entered an aircraft gross weight of 52 tonnes instead of 62 tonnes into the flight management computer. The computer then calculated flap and landing speeds based on that weight.
During the approach, the monitoring pilot stated that the airspeed was ‘wrong’, but the pilot flying assessed it to be normal and continued the approach. At about 200 ft, the monitoring pilot called ‘speed’ after noticing the speed was trending towards the minimum manoeuvre speed on the airspeed indicator. During touchdown, the aircraft nose was higher than usual; the pitch up was 7.5 degrees, whereas normal is between 3.5 and 3.75 degrees.
Qantas subsequently implemented a requirement for the monitoring pilot to compare landing weight entered to the flight management computer with the load sheet estimated landing weight.
Read the report: Data input error involving a Boeing 737, VH-XZI, near Adelaide Airport, South Australia, on 12 October 2014
The ATSB’s SafetyWatch initiative identifies data input error as a top aviation safety priority.
More information: Take-off performance calculated and entry errors: A global perspective is a research paper which focused on such incidents and accidents in the 20 years prior to 2009.