On 28 July 2011, a Jetstar Airways, Airbus A320-232 aircraft, registered VH-VQA, departed Newcastle, New South Wales on a scheduled passenger service to Melbourne, Victoria. The First Officer (FO) was designated as the pilot flying.
While on approach to runway 34 at Melbourne, at about 245 ft (radio altitude), the Captain realised that the landing checklist had not been completed. At the same time, the crew received a 'TOO LOW FLAP' aural and visual warning from the aircraft's enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS). The Captain identified that the aircraft was not in the landing configuration, immediately called for a go-around which the FO initiated. Prior to establishing a positive rate of climb, the crew received a second 'TOO LOW FLAP' warning.
The operator conducted an investigation and determined that the following factors had contributed to the incident: incomplete approach brief, loss of situation awareness, improper coaching techniques and cognitive overload. As a result, the operator intends to:
- provide the Captain and FO with a remedial training and coaching program
- conduct a review of their command upgrade training to ensure it focuses on the development of a positive cockpit authority gradient, and the command of flight capabilities
- incorporate this incident into the command upgrade training course as a case study
- conduct a review of their recurrent human factors training.