What happened
On August 10, 2014, a Robinson R44 helicopter entered the controlled airspace (CTR) of Warsaw Chopin Airport (EPWA) while operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). The unauthorized entry was detected by the Tower controller, who observed a radar target in the northwestern portion of the CTR, approximately 7 to 8 miles from the aerodrome. The radar display indicated the aircraft was at an altitude of 600 feet, subsequently climbing to 700 feet. The intrusion did not pose a direct threat to other air traffic in the area.
The investigation
The PKBWL classified the event as an incident and referred the matter to the helicopter operator for internal investigation. During the investigation process, the commission's investigator attempted to contact the operator to discuss the event; however, these attempts were unsuccessful. As of the conclusion of the investigation on August 4, 2015, the PKBWL had not received any information regarding the corrective actions or investigations undertaken by the operator to determine the underlying cause of the airspace violation.