What happened
On May 9, 2016, a pilot operating a Tecnam P2002JF, registration D-EXLB, was conducting a VFR flight departing from and returning to EPPO (Poznań-Krzesiny). The flight plan, as coordinated between FIS Poznań and EPPO Tower, required the aircraft to fly via points "C" and "W".
Upon reaching point "C", the pilot failed to establish radio contact with the EPPO Tower. The controller attempted to contact the aircraft multiple times without success. To assist, the tower controller contacted the FIS Poznań service via telephone to request that the pilot be notified to change frequencies. After the third attempt, the pilot responded, stating a change in intentions: instead of proceeding to point "W", the pilot requested to fly toward the airport for landing.
Following the flight, during a telephone conversation between the controller and the pilot, it was noted that the aircraft had entered the EPPO CTR in a potentially dangerous manner. Specifically, the aircraft violated the controlled airspace on the final approach to runway 10, approximately 6 NM from the threshold at an altitude of 1,500 feet.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the breakdown in communication between the pilot and the air traffic control services. The inquiry examined the coordination between FIS Poznań and EPPO Tower, the pilot's response to radio calls, and the technical capabilities of the aircraft's communication equipment.