Status:	Final
Date:	17 DEC 2002
Time:	03:35
Type:	Airbus A330-301
Operator:	Philippine Air Lines
Registration:	F-OHZO
C/n / msn:	188
First flight:	1997
Engines:	2 General Electric CF6-80E1A2
Crew:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 14
Passengers:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 101
Total:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 115
Airplane damage:	Minor
Airplane fate:	Repaired
Location:	near Guam-A.B. Won Pat International Airport (GUM) (Guam)
Phase:	Approach (APR)
Nature:	International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:	Manila-Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL/RPLL), Philippines
Destination airport:	Guam-A.B. Won Pat International Airport (GUM/PGUM), Guam
Flightnumber:	110

Narrative:
The Airbus struck pole-mounted electrical transmission cables on Nimitz Hill during a localizer approach to runway 06L at Guam in IMC. The aircraft executed a missed approach and landed safely at Guam. After arriving back at Manila the aircraft was inspected and found to have minor damage to the fuselage and landing gear. On August 6, 1997 an accident happened on the same hill when a Korean Air Boeing 747-3B5 collided with terrain while on approaching runway 06L. The MSAW (minimum safe altitude warning) software which was not functioning properly in 1997 was working fine this time. But the CERAP controller, who was no longer in direct communication with PAL110, did not advise the Agana tower controller of the warning. The warning was displayed in the control tower as well, however, the display was logged as out of service because of damage from a typhoon that struck Guam nine days earlier, and its operation was not verified as reliable.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's initiation of a premature descent that was both below the nominal glideslope and steeper than normal. Contributing to the incident was the air traffic controller's failure to respond to the MSAW warning and issue a safety alert as required by FAA order."

Sources:
» NTSB