Batik Air 737 passed close to hilltop on low Canberra approach

A Batik Air Boeing 737-800 passed within 1,000ft of terrain on an approach to Canberra in which it passed below the safe altitude. The incident occurred on 14 June 2024 as the aircraft (PK-LDK) operated the airline’s inaugural flight on the Denpasar-Canberra route, arriving in the city’s airspace before airport controllers started work, according to a preliminary report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. At 05:51 local time, the crew requested air traffic control clearance for an ILS approach to runway 35, but Melbourne air traffic control responded that the Canberra tower was closed, and common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) procedures applied. As the aircraft was above the desired flightpath, the crew decided to hold at waypoint MOMBI and reduce altitude. Owing to crew inputs, the aircraft descended to 4,700ft, while the minimum holding altitude was 5,600ft. The Melbourne Centre controller failed to observe to see that the aircraft was operating below the minimum holding altitude. Meanwhile, the Canberra Tower controller was getting ready to commence service and observed that the aircraft was below minimum holding altitude. The controller made “multiple unsuccessful attempts to contact the crew” on the Canberra CTAF frequency. “As the Canberra Tower controller did not have a direct means of communication with the Melbourne Centre controller, the Tower controller contacted a Melbourne Approach controller to relay their concerns to the Melbourne Centre controller,” says the ATSB.<br/>