Cessna 150 Radio Communication Loss Incident at Wrocław Strachowice

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On 9 May 2017, a Cessna 150 aircraft operated by OSL SKYWAY experienced a temporary loss of radio communication with the control tower at Wrocław Strachowice Airport (EPWR). The incident was classified as an aviation incident and was investigated by the State Commission for Investigation of Aviation Accidents (PBWAL) under case number 838/17. The aircraft sustained no damage, and the pilot, a 62-year-old instructor, was not injured. ## Operational Context and Pilot Profile The flight was a training operation conducted under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) in daylight conditions. The pilot held a Commercial Pilot License (CPL(A)) with various endorsements, including single-engine land, aerobatics, and glider towing. The pilot's total flight time was 2,257 hours. The flight originated from Mirosławice (EPMR) with the intended destination being EPWR. ## Sequence of Events After takeoff from EPMR, the pilot established communication with the EPWR tower and received landing clearance for runway 29. While on final approach, the pilot lost radio contact with the tower at 09:06 UTC. Unable to maintain communication, the pilot entered a holding pattern, flying two circuits over the SIERRA point. During this time, the pilot did not observe the light signals from the tower's signal lamp authorizing landing. The pilot then moved to the GOLF point, where communication was eventually restored. The pilot received clearance to enter the EPWR Control Zone (CTR) and landed at 09:32 UTC. ## Impact and Investigation Findings The communication loss caused an approximately 8-minute delay to Ryanair flight RYR7RU. Following the incident, a technician inspected the aircraft's radio station at EPMR and found no faults. The investigation concluded that the cause of the incident was a temporary loss of radio communication of unexplained origin. No contributing factors were identified, and no safety recommendations were issued. The investigation was supervised by Jacek Bogatko and concluded on 1 June 2017.