Westjet Encore DH8D at Vancouver on Jan 2nd 2026

[Eric Janson]

https://avherald.com/h?article=533e3941&opt=0

From the report:-

The crew attempted to stop the descent via the FGCP, then disconnected the autopilot and entered a manual climb at 3600 fpm.

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Looks like about an 800 foot descent starting from 2000.

Hope this is addressed by the training department - an unacceptable level of performance imho.

[dustyroads]

https://avherald.com/h?article=533e3941&opt=0

From the report:-

The crew attempted to stop the descent via the FGCP, then disconnected the autopilot and entered a manual climb at 3600 fpm.

.

Looks like about an 800 foot descent starting from 2000.

Hope this is addressed by the training department - an unacceptable level of performance imho.

Might want to hire someone who can hand fly and takes the AP off at first indication of something not right instead of fiddling around with pushing buttons while the aircraft is clearly going into an abnormal state.

[Me262]

https://avherald.com/h?article=533e3941&opt=0

From the report:-

The crew attempted to stop the descent via the FGCP, then disconnected the autopilot and entered a manual climb at 3600 fpm.

.

Looks like about an 800 foot descent starting from 2000.

Hope this is addressed by the training department - an unacceptable level of performance imho.

Might want to hire someone who can hand fly and takes the AP off at first indication of something not right instead of fiddling around with pushing buttons while the aircraft is clearly going into an abnormal state.

Meanwhile some companies will MANDATE use of FD at all stages, meaning your already busy PM needs to push buttons on the FCP just so you can manually fly. If something goes wrong, you go to the LOWEST level of automation (that is level 1, no FD, no AP) and hand fly as you are supposed to do.

[EPR]

A great video, that's still relevant of the over reliance of automation!
https://youtu.be/5ESJH1NLMLs?si=1zvdG8JGbgvom9MA

[goingnowherefast]

I've lost count the number of times I've been hand flying and the PM screws up the FD modes. Ignore the bars and fly raw data until it gets sorted. Usually happens on a go-around or some other unusual, high workload scenario.

[pelmet]

One can attempt to correct a situation like this by still using the automatics. For me, the important question is......how far do you let it go before giving up on the automatics. Off by 100'?.....maybe try a button push to get back in the proper mode. No recovery using the automatics?.....now may be the time to disconnect the autopilot. In other words....one does not necessarily have to immediately stop using all automatics right away.

It would appear in this case that they waited too long before going to hand flying.

[Blackdog0301]

For me, the important question is......how far do you let it go before giving up on the automatics.

If ATC notices, you waited too long. Simple as that.

I also think of it from a flight test perspective. +/-100 feet, +/-10 degrees, -5/+10 knots. If the automation isn't staying within these parameters, it should be turned off.

I'll be curious to hear the report on this one. Did something else contribute to the loss of altitude? Or was it an over reliance on the automation? If it was the latter, then this crew needs some serious retraining. These days, the autopilot goes on at 400, and comes off at 200. What's the fun in that? Hand fly from time to time!

[airway]

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"A Westjet Encore de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration C-FKWE performing flight WS-3405 from Vancouver,BC to Victoria,BC (Canada), was climbing out of Vancouver's runway 08R following the Stanley 5 Standard Instrument Departure and climbing to 2000 feet and was about to level at 2000 feet, when the crew received clearance to climb to 4000 feet and turn onto heading 170."

On this route, for the Q400, this is a typical clearance, and is a little tricky to manage. Just from memory, the Stanley 5 calls for a right turn at 1000' to about a 140 heading and level out at 2000". Then at some point ATC clears you for another right turn to 170 and climb to 4000'. This all happens very quickly and you have to be ready for it, and brief ahead of time. Usually we will brief the approach on the ground as well.

IMHO this is a good way to manage it:

After T/O do the regular gear up etc... Usually the FD is in pitch, nav and alt sel. At 1000' the PF starts turning right, engages the AP, calls flap 0, climb power, after T/O check, which the PM does and contacts departure and gets clearance to 4000' and another right turn. By the time the PM reads back the clearance to 4000', the aircraft is capturing 2000' and starting to nose down to level off at 2000'. By this point, the PF should have his hand near the altitude select knob, and if timed right turns the knob to 4000' right when the pitch is between 5 and 10 degrees, then selects hdg, and turns the heading knob to 170. The FD automatically goes to pitch and alt sel mode (confirm of course) and levels off at 4000'. Do not touch the pitch wheel. If you touch the pitch wheel, alt sel will cancel, and you will blow past your clearance altitude. Generally I like having the AP on for this, because it happens so fast and the PM can be easily get overloaded doing everything plus monitoring the PF closer than usual, if you know what I mean.

Of course you need to listen carefully to the departure clearance, because sometimes it is different.





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