Descent below minimum safe altitude involving Boeing 767, VH-XQU, 16 km north of Sydney Airport, New South Wales, on 10 September 2025

Summary

The ATSB is investigating a descent below minimum safe altitude involving Boeing 767, VH‑XQU, 16 km north of Sydney Airport, New South Wales, on 10 September 2025.

During approach, the aircraft descended below the minimum safe altitude. The approach controller received a minimum safe altitude warning (MSAW) and issued a safety alert. The crew subsequently conducted a missed approach.

In the course of the investigation, the ATSB identified potential limitations in risk controls / organisational factors relevant to the occurrence that potentially contributed to the occurrence. Examination of these factors represent a significant increase in the scope of this investigation, and it has been upgraded from Short to Defined as a result (the ATSB's different levels of investigation are detailed here).

The draft report internal review process has been completed. The draft report has been distributed to directly involved parties (DIPs) to check factual accuracy and ensure natural justice. Any submissions from those parties will be reviewed and, where considered appropriate, the draft report will be amended accordingly.

Following the external review process, any submissions and amendments to the draft report are internally reviewed. Once approved, the final report is prepared for publication and dissemination and released to DIPs prior to its public release.

The final report will be released at the conclusion of the investigation. Should a critical safety issue be identified during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties, so that appropriate safety action can be taken.