Incident Overview
On April 18, 2016, an incident occurred involving a Cessna 208 (C208) aircraft operating from the Chrcynno airfield. The event was classified as an incident by the State Commission for Aviation Accident Investigation (PAŃSTWOWA KOMISJA BADANIA WYPADKÓW LOTNICZYCH). The investigation concluded on February 17, 2017.
Operational Details
At 07:58 UTC, the pilot, holding a Commercial Pilot License (CPL(A)), was conducting a flight under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). The pilot had a total time of 811.5 hours, with 635.5 hours as pilot-in-command and 9 hours 56 minutes on type. During the operation, the aircraft entered the controlled airspace (TMA) of Warsaw Okęcie (EPWA).
Sequence of Events
The pilot initiated a request to climb to Flight Level 140 with the Approach Control (APP EPWA) while the aircraft was at 3,300 feet AMSL. At this point, the aircraft had already penetrated the lower boundary of the TMA. The controller informed the crew of the TMA limit and emphasized the requirement to obtain clearance before entering controlled airspace. Following this exchange, the flight continued without further consequences or injuries.
Investigation Findings
The primary cause was identified as a pilot error: entering controlled airspace without obtaining prior clearance from air traffic control. Contributing factors included conducting radio communications on the tower frequency and a lack of attention by the pilot.
Safety Actions
No formal safety recommendations were issued by the Commission. However, the operator conducted a training session for C208 pilots on June 30, 2016, in collaboration with Warsaw Okęcie approach controllers. The session focused on safe operations within TMA EPWA and proper radio communication procedures.