The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced Apr. 29^th that the pilot of a Peach Aviation Airbus A320-200 aircraft en route from Ishigaki to Naha Naha Airport started the descend too earl and came within 75 meters above the ocean. The pilot then pulled the aircraft back up and made a new approach and landed the place without further incident.

According to officials at the ministry, aircraft usually begin the descend to Naha about five kilometers away from the airport, but the Peach airliner had began to descend at a point about 10 kilometers away.

The 45-year-old Argentine pilot of the aircraft noticed the mistake when the ground proximity warning system (GPWS) went off. The pilot reportedly said afterward “I mistakenly thought the air traffic controlled was giving me orders to land.”

The aircraft was carrying 59 passengers and crew. No one on the plane was injured. According to Peach official, the pilot has been suspended pending an investigation.

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