Passenger jet aborts landing at Malaga after close call with other plane

Spanish air accident investigators have opened a formal file on a close encounter near Malaga Airport that forced a commercial flight to abandon its approach on the evening of July 6.

SAS Connect Airbus A320neo EI-SIG, operating flight SK-1817 from Stockholm with 175 passengers and six crew, was descending through to about 2,600 feet on final approach to runway 12 when its traffic collision avoidance system issued a resolution advisory. Pilots followed the standard procedure, climbed away and later completed a second approach to land safely.

6 de julio, AS Connect A320-2 de Estocolmo a Málaga, en aproximación a la pista 12 los pilotos recibieron una alerta del sistema TCAS-RA y abortaron el aterrizaje.
Dos aviones de extinción de incendios se dirigían al helipuerto de Cártama para repostar agua y retardante de fuego. pic.twitter.com/d8ZKwU6Imk

— Feliz Vuelo, online en: @esVivetuvida (@FelizVuelo) August 19, 2026

Firefighting aircraft enter control zone

Two Infoca Air Tractor AT-802A tankers were returning to Cartama heliport to reload water and retardant after battling the Grazalema wildfire that same day. Radar data showed the closest point between the SAS jet and one of the Air Tractors measured roughly 0.8 nautical miles horizontally while both aircraft sat at the same altitude. Air traffic control said the firefighting planes entered the Malaga control zone without establishing radio contact with air traffic control.

Required minimum separation under radar control in approach areas runs to 1,000 feet vertically and three to five nautical miles horizontally. The recorded figures fell well short of those limits.

Technical investigation underway

Spain’s Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission, known as CIAIAC, treats every such probe as a pure safety exercise. Investigators examine radar tracks, radio recordings and coordination between commercial traffic and aerial firefighting operations. Findings will appear in a factual report that may carry recommendations aimed at stopping similar events. Blame forms no part of the process.

Similar go-arounds have occurred at the same airport in recent years. One earlier case involving a Norwegian flight aborting its landing because of another aircraft still on the runway drew attention to air-traffic procedures. Controllers have also handled weather-related missed approaches and medical diversions. Further background on the official investigation body sits at the Ministry of Transport site.

No injuries or aircraft damage resulted from the July incident, and every plane involved reached its destination without further trouble. But questions remain over whether Malaga Airport is getting too busy.