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Despite this unusual behavior, the plan seemed in good shape as the flight neared its approach to the fog-laden Bilbao Airport surrounded by mountains. As the pilots prepared for their descent, they received weather updates and began their approach procedures, not realizing that crucial information was missing from their approach charts.
Errors in Approach
At approximately 9:07 AM, the first officer reported to air traffic control that they were descending through 13,000 feet towards 10,000. However, an air traffic controller offered them a shortcut to the runway based on light traffic, which the first officer initially considered before looking to Patino for guidance. Patino's silent gesture revealed his intentions to follow the standard procedure instead.