Aer Lingus pilot ‘may have been tired’ in 44-degree tilt scare over Dublin Airport

Aer Lingus pilot 'may have been tired' in 44-degree tilt scare over Dublin Airport

An Aer Lingus Airbus A320 was forced to abort its landing at Dublin Airport after the commander disconnected the autopilot during a rushed approach, leading to a dangerous 44-degree bank and "degraded situational awareness." The pilot admitted he "may have been tired"

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An Aer Lingus pilot who acknowledged he "may have been tired" sparked a midair incident over Dublin after disengaging his autopilot in a bid to expedite a landing, an investigation found.

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The 146 passengers aboard the January 2025 flight from Faro in Portugal to Dublin Airport experienced a sharp 44-degree bank, significantly exceeding the standard 33-degree safety threshold, during an aborted runway approach. An official report from the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) described the alarming episode as an "aircraft upset" — terminology applied when a plane inadvertently moves beyond its intended flight parameters.

According to the newly published findings, the flight's commander informed investigators he "did not sleep well the night before the flight and that he may have been tired." The incident occurred on Jan. 14, 2025, as the crew attempted to shorten their route to the runway.

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Despite air traffic controllers explicitly asking the pilots whether they required "extra track miles" to adequately align their descent, the crew continued. But as they arrived too high and too fast, the commander disengaged the autopilot to fully deploy the aircraft's speed brakes.

However, this choice to operate the jet manually resulted in "degraded situational awareness," according to the AAIU. The crew attempted a descending "orbit" to the right to reduce altitude, which caused the severe 44-degree bank, reports Dublin Live.

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During the sharp maneuver, the Airbus A320's velocity plummeted to dangerous levels, dipping beneath the minimum recommended speed (VLS) designed to prevent a stall on two separate instances.

Fortunately, a potential catastrophe was prevented when the aircraft's automatic low-speed protection systems engaged in line with its safety protocols.

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Throughout the incident, the flight directors momentarily vanished from the cockpit displays before the commander applied takeoff thrust to stabilize the aircraft.

Amid the resulting chaos, the jet ascended to 4,200 feet, exceeding its authorized altitude of 3,500 feet.

The pilots successfully abandoned the failed landing attempt, requested radar vectors for a second approach, and touched down safely without additional complications.

In the wake of the incident, Aer Lingus prohibited pilots from executing orbit maneuvers during approaches, except during training exercises.

The airline has also started instructing crews to initiate a go-around if there is any uncertainty regarding a safe landing. Given the airline's proactive safety initiatives, the AAIU concluded its report without issuing any additional safety recommendations.

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