What happened
On February 24, 2017, a Boeing 737-800 operating from Dublin (EIDW) to Lanzarote (GCRR) entered the North Atlantic High Level Airspace (NAT HLA) within the Shanwick FIR (EGGX) without authorization. The aircraft was traveling on route T9 between the navigational points "LASNO" and "BEGAS".
During the flight, Shannon ATC instructed the crew to establish radio contact on a second radio set with Shanwick ATS to obtain oceanic clearance. The crew initially informed Shannon ATC that they were unable to comply, as they did not have the necessary training for operations within the NAT HLA. Following further instructions from Shannon ATC, the crew eventually established contact with Shanwick ATS. Upon being asked for their ETA, altitude, and speed at the "LASNO" and "BEGAS" points, the crew cross-referenced their position on IFR charts and realized they were likely within the NAT HLA, approximately 60 NM from the exit point. To minimize time spent in the unauthorized airspace, the crew decided to continue to point "BEGAS" to exit the area as quickly as possible. The transit through the unauthorized segment lasted approximately 27 minutes.
The investigation
The investigation established that the flight plan prepared by the operator's flight planning department included a route through the Shanwick Oceanic FIR. It was determined that the flight dispatcher responsible for the flight plan did not receive a system warning regarding the flight's passage through the Shanwick Oceanic airspace. While the operations department had attempted to implement a modification to the system in December 2016 to prevent such occurrences, this modification was ineffective because such changes can only be implemented by the system administrator.
Furthermore, the investigation found that the documentation provided to the crew contained elements that could have allowed them to identify the entry into the NAT HLA. It was also confirmed that the crew lacked the required training for NAT HLA operations.
Findings
- The flight operations department planned a route that traversed the Shanwick FIR.
- The flight dispatcher did not receive a visual warning on their monitor regarding the flight path through Shanwick Oceanic.
- The flight documentation provided to the crew contained information that could have identified the entry into the NAT HLA.
- The crew lacked the necessary training to conduct operations within the NAT HLA.
Safety action
Following the incident, the crew notified the operations department of the unauthorized airspace entry. On February 28, 2017, the operator disabled the ability to plan flights through the Shanwick FIR within their planning system. The operator also contacted the flight planning software manager to clarify instructions regarding system modifications that can only be performed by an administrator. Additionally, the operator is evaluating the possibility of training flight personnel for NAT HLA operations and expanding their operational specifications to include the Shanwick FIR.