What happened
On April 4, 2016, a pilot operating a Synthesis 31 paramotor equipped with a Parapower solo 210 engine planned a flight route starting from Rusocin, traveling through Pruszcz Gdański and Rębielcz, before returning to the departure point. Prior to takeoff, the pilot reviewed the weather forecast for the planned route and checked the Active Use of Airspace (AUP) information. Additionally, the pilot contacted the air traffic controller at the EPPR military airfield via telephone to confirm that no flight operations were currently being conducted within the airfield's traffic zone (MATZ).
Following the completion of the flight, the pilot was notified via telephone that the MATZ airspace of the EPPR airfield had been breached during the flight. To address the report, the pilot subsequently visited the commander of the military unit responsible for the airspace in question to clarify the circumstances of the incident.
The investigation
The investigation examined the communications between the pilot and the military air traffic control services. The inquiry focused on the specific permissions granted by the controller prior to the flight and how those instructions were understood by the pilot.
Findings
- The investigation established that the permission provided by the military air traffic control services specifically authorized the pilot to take off within the EPPR MATZ and then depart the zone on a southward course.
- The primary cause of the incident was that the pilot misinterpreted the authorization, mistakenly believing the permission allowed for a flight through the MATZ area rather than just an exit from it.