What happened
On June 11, 2016, a TECNAM P2002JF operated by a flight training organization departed from EPPO airport. The pilot, a Turkish national holding a PPL(A) license with 120 total flight hours, was cleared to take off from Runway 28. The flight instructions required the aircraft to depart via Runway 20 and proceed toward point EPPO "S" at an altitude of 1,500 feet AMSL.
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported reaching point "S." At this time, the EPPO Tower controller terminated radar services for the aircraft and transferred the pilot to the military tower at EPKS. However, the EPPO controller soon observed on radar that the TECNAM P2002JF was actually heading toward the approach path for Runway 28 at EPPO.
This deviation occurred while a CRJ9 aircraft was on final approach to Runway 28. The CRJ9 crew had been cleared to land after being notified of the light aircraft's position. The EPPO Tower controller attempted to issue immediate instructions to the pilot of the TECNAM P2002JF to fly south, but these attempts were unsuccessful. To prevent a collision, the tower assistant contacted the EPKS Tower via telephone to request that the pilot be instructed to immediately exit the EPPO CTR. The pilot subsequently exited the controlled airspace.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight path, the communication between the various air traffic control units, and the technical state of the aircraft's instruments. The inquiry focused on why the pilot deviated from the assigned departure route and why the controller's instructions were not effectively received by the aircraft crew.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was pilot disorientation, which was likely caused by the misalignment of the magnetic compass.
- Radio interference on the Krzesiny Tower frequency significantly hindered the pilot's ability to understand instructions issued by that authority.
- The location of point EPPO "S" on the boundary of the EPPO CTR and EPKS MATZ acted as a contributing factor to the complexity of the event.