A Meteorological Analysis of the Missed Approach of an Aircraft at Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan, During Typhoon Kong-Rey in 2024—The Impact of Crosswind and Turbulence

When Typhoon Kong-rey hit Taiwan in October 2024, an aircraft attempting to land at Taoyuan International Airport undertook a missed approach and landed successfully on the second attempt. The possible meteorological factors causing this missed approach are studied in this study based on a methodology specifically adopted for Hong Kong International Airport; namely, studying crosswind as derived from aircraft and airport meteorological observations, as well as the low-level turbulence derived from data on the aircraft’s vertical acceleration and high-resolution numerical weather prediction model results. A significant crosswind component and a gusting crosswind are the major reasons for the missed approach. The low-level turbulence appears to have been secondary/minor, as shown by the successful landings of aircraft before and after the event. It is concluded that the methodology supporting airport operations in Hong Kong may be used to explain missed approach cases at other airports under the influence of tropical cyclones.