The Australian Transport Safety Bureau did not conduct an
on-scene investigation of this occurrence.
FACTUAL INFORMATION
At approximately 1330 Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 8 October
2004, a de Havilland Canada DHC-8-102 (Dash 8) aircraft, registered
VH-TNW (TNW), with a crew of three and 18 passengers, encountered
severe turbulence during approach to the Gold Coast Airport,
Queensland. The aircraft was being operated on a scheduled
passenger service from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.
The flight crew reported that conditions were quite rough with
moderate turbulence during the flight. Approximately 25 NM from the
Gold Coast Airport, at an altitude of 5,000 ft, the aircraft
encountered turbulence that resulted in a wing drop, while
operating with the autopilot engaged. The crew were then cleared by
air traffic control (ATC) to descend to 4,000 ft and to reduce
speed, as they were being radar vectored behind a Boeing Company
717 (B717) aircraft that had conducted a missed approach at the
Gold Coast Airport due to encountering turbulence.
The crew of TNW reconfigured the aircraft for a flap 15 landing.
They were then advised by ATC that they would be in front of the
B717, were cleared for a visual approach and advised to contact the
control tower. Passing through approximately 2,500 ft, the crew
reported that they encountered a severe updraft that stopped the
aircraft's descent. They then disconnected the autopilot and
continued the descent. The crew reported that as the aircraft was
passing through approximately 1,500 ft, they encountered severe
turbulence, which required them to apply almost full control inputs
to control the aircraft. The pilot in command then carried out a
missed approach and the aircraft was reconfigured for a climb.
During the missed approach, the number-1 engine `low oil pressure'
warning light illuminated for a short time. The crew checked the
cockpit indications and confirmed that the oil pressure was within
limits.
They climbed the aircraft to 3,000 ft and manoeuvred for another
approach. The pilot in command reported that during the downwind
leg they observed that the water off the coast appeared to be
`foaming'. He also reported a number of small water spouts present,
and that there appeared to be a roll cloud forming ahead of the
aircraft.
After landing, the crew advised the ground engineers that they
had encountered severe turbulence. Following discussions with the
operating company's base, a decision was made to ground the
aircraft to allow a thorough engineering inspection. That
inspection was to include flap over-speed and severe turbulence
encounter inspections.
A review of the recovered data from the aircraft's flight data
recorder revealed that, at a recorded altitude of 1,460 ft, the
aircraft encountered a turbulence event that recorded +2.26
vertical `g'. At that point, the aircraft was banked to the left to
21 degrees. Almost immediately following this, the aircraft banked
to the right to 20 degrees. The data also revealed that during the
missed approach the engine torque values exceeded 100% for a period
of two seconds and that the flap 5 limit speed of 148 kts was also
exceeded.
The aircraft was not damaged during the turbulence encounter and
none of the occupants were injured.
The pilot in command of the B717 reported that, when they had
started descent, they were advised that the automatic terminal
information service (ATIS) had changed. The new information that
they received indicated that the temperature had dropped 7 degrees
from the temperature that they had recorded just prior to starting
the descent. He also reported that the conditions became very
turbulent as the aircraft descended below 10,000 ft. While on
approach, the conditions became very turbulent and he conducted a
missed approach when the aircraft became unstable on the
approach.
The general meteorological forecast for the morning of 8 October
2004 indicated that a trough line was moving across south-east
Queensland. Coincident with the movement of this trough, a front
was moving north along the New South Wales coast and was expected
to move through south-east Queensland in the mid to late
afternoon.
The Terminal Area Forecast (TAF) for the Gold Coast Airport,
issued at 1104, indicated that the wind was from 300 degrees at 18
kts, with gusts to 30 kts. It further indicated that the wind was
to change direction and strength at 1600. The TAF also indicated
that moderate turbulence was expected below 5,000 ft from 1100
until 1700.
An amended TAF was issued at 1335, which indicated that the wind
was from 160 degrees at 20 kts. This TAF also indicated that
moderate turbulence was expected below 5,000 ft from 1300 until
1700.
Data from the automatic weather station (AWS) at the Gold Coast
Airport indicated that the wind direction started to change from a
north-westerly direction to an easterly and finally a
south-easterly direction between 1230 and 1326. The recorded
temperature also decreased from 34.6 degrees to 26.8 degrees in the
same period. An aviation special weather (SPECI) report related to
a change in wind direction and a drop of temperature of more than 5
degrees was issued by the Gold Coast Airport AWS at 1258. That
information was not passed to the crew of the TNW.
A significant meteorological (SIGMET) warning of severe
turbulence was issued at 1449 that covered the area surrounding the
Gold Coast Airport. This turbulence was expected below 8,000
ft.
The passage of the front along the New South Wales coast was
detected by automatic weather stations at Evans Head and Cape
Byron. These stations did not have the capability to provide 1
minute updates to the data. Therefore they could only provide
aviation routine weather (METAR) and SPECI reports.
SPECI data from Evans Head and Cape Byron stations indicated the
passage of the front through those locations at 1025 and 1131
respectively.