The crew of a Vietnam Airlines (VNA) flight were suspended for landing on an unopened runway at Cam Ranh International Airport in Khanh Hoa Province on April 29.

Crew of a Vietnam Airlines flight were suspended after landing on an unopened runway at Cam Ranh International Airport in Khanh Hoa Province on April 29. – Photo dantri.com.vn

The air traffic controllers at Cam Ranh Airport were also suspended and will be interrogated.

VNA apologised to all passengers on the flight for the unfortunate incident.

According to VNA, Flight VN7344 from HCM City landed on the newly built runway at 2.53pm. The runway is yet to receive clearance for operation.

The crew landed the flight safely, with 203 passengers on board. They were provided full assistance at the airport. When the plane landed, the weather in Cam Ranh was fine, and no technical issues were reported.

After the incident, VNA said it had suspended the crew and sought an explanation for the landing. A team, which was set up to inspect the aircraft, will work with the Civil Aviation Administration of Viet Nam to investigate the case.

Meanwhile, VNA held an emergency meeting to review all operations at Cam Ranh Airport as well as in other airports to avoid similar incidents in future.

The Ministry of Transport said it had reported the incident to the Prime Minister. 

The Airbus A321 in question was handed over to VNA on August 26, 2015, and had received its latest maintenance check on March 9, 2018.

The flight captain is an American pilot, who has been working for VNA since January 2018. 

CAAV instructs stronger measures to ensure aviation safety

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has issued an instruction on ensuring aviation safety after recent incidents, especially the landing of a Vietnam Airlines’ flight in a runway that has not been ready to use in Cam Ranh International Airport in the south central province of Khanh Hoa.

Under the Instruction 119/CT-CHK dated May 2, the CAAV asked Vietnam Airlines’ pilots to make thorough preparations prior to flights including updating themselves on information of the scheduled flight and study the structure of the landing airport, while making early contact with the air traffic control station of the landing airport to get meteorological information as well as landing methods and runway.

The pilot must double check important information, strictly adhere to aviation regulations, and immediately report on unusual signs that may confuse the pilot and threaten the fight’s safety.

The CAAV also asked the Airports Corporation of Vietnam and Cam Ranh International Airport to strengthen supervision of the investor and contractor’s work in ensuring security and safety of the runway construction project.

Instant measures must be applied to warn flights landing in the airport of the condition of the unfinished runway, stated the instruction.

The Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation and the air traffic control unit of Cam Ranh Airport were told to intensify the supervision of aircraft’s movement since they approach the airport for landing until they exit the runway in order to timely prevent incidents similar to that on April 29. 

Relevant agencies were also asked to review their operations to ensure aviation safety, while consulting the CAAV on the issuance of necessary documents to prevent similar incidents.
Vietnam Airlines said on May 2 that immediately after the incident, the airline had coordinated closely with the CAAV and competent agencies to investigate the case. 

Vietnam Airlines also convened an emergency meeting for the entire system and reviewed the carrier’s operations at Cam Ranh International Airport and other airports so as not to repeat similar incidents. 

VNS/VNA/VNN