On Jun 25th 2025, a routine Jetstar arrival into Sydney turned into a high-workload cockpit event when a late go-around in gusty crosswinds led to simultaneous control inputs and a disrupted flight sequence, an incident later closely analysed by Australia’s aviation safety investigators.
The Airbus A321-200, registered VH-OYF and operating flight JQ-38 from Denpasar to Sydney with 234 passengers and 8 crew on board, was on final approach to runway 16R when the aircraft entered a prolonged float just above the runway. Strong right crosswinds caused the jet to drift left of the centreline, and as the deviation became apparent, the captain, acting as pilot monitoring, instructed the first officer to initiate a go-around.
The first officer, who was the pilot flying, immediately complied. However, in the critical seconds after the go-around command, the captain inadvertently applied input to their sidestick at the same time as the first officer, resulting in simultaneous commands to the flight controls. An aural “Dual Input” warning sounded in the cockpit, prompting the captain to take full control of the aircraft. The Airbus climbed away safely, but amid the rapid change from landing to missed approach, the go-around procedure was completed out of sequence, with flap retraction occurring after the landing gear was raised. Despite the procedural disruption, the aircraft remained within its flight envelope at all times.
The crew quickly regrouped, repositioned for another approach to runway 16R, and landed without further incident about 15 minutes later. Passengers were unaware of how close the aircraft had come to touching down before the sudden climb back into the sky.
On Jan 27th 2026, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau released its final report, concluding that the event was the result of a combination of crosswind effects, surprise, and momentary loss of procedural flow during a high-stress phase of flight. Investigators found that the first officer’s flare inputs allowed the aircraft to drift left during the prolonged float, prompting the captain’s go-around call at a point when both pilots were mentally primed for landing rather than aborting the approach.
The ATSB highlighted how the unexpected need to go around at very low height triggered a stress response in the captain, who instinctively moved their sidestick while the first officer was still flying, creating the dual input situation. The sudden transfer of control and rapid role swap between the pilots then disrupted the normal sequence of actions, leading to the flaps being retracted later than prescribed.
While no aircraft limits were exceeded and safety margins were maintained, investigators noted the event as a clear example of how surprise and time pressure can affect even experienced crews. The incident reinforced the importance of disciplined control transfer, clear role management, and strict adherence to procedures during sudden go-arounds, especially when they occur just seconds before touchdown.
