During a March 8, 2013 visual approach that nearly became a controlled flight into terrain statistic, the captain of the Qantas Airways A330 assessed the aircraft’s flight path using invalid glideslope indications, resulting incorrectly that the aircraft high on the approach, according to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s (ATSB) final report. Soon after being cleared for the approach and descending through 3,000 feet, the captain set 1,000 feet in the autoflight system and a 180-knot target speed with the landing gear down. The descent was continued in autoflight open descent mode and reached a maximum of 2,200 fpm.

As the aircraft passed through 1,800 feet, the first officer advised they were low. The captain quickly reduced the rate of descent, but that did not prevent the enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) from producing  “terrain” and “pull up” alerts. The crew flew an EGPWS recovery maneuver and later landed safely using an instrument approach.

As the ground proximity alerts sounded, the aircraft had descended to 1,400 feet msl (600 feet agl) while still nine miles from the runway. This was also 1,900 feet below a normal three-degree descent profile.

The ATSB cited the captain’s use of open descent mode and ineffective monitoring by both pilots, as well as the limited training guidance for conducting visual approaches by Qantas. The report also concluded that the captain's performance was probably reduced as a result of the combined effects of disrupted and restricted sleep, a limited recent food intake and a cold/virus.