What happened
On August 2, 2019, a pilot operating a Cessna C-152, registration SP-KCH, filed a VFR flight plan from Kraków Pobiednik (EPKP) through the Kraków TMA. After takeoff, the pilot established contact with FIS Kraków and subsequently notified the controller of an intention to switch to Kraków Approach.
While near point "ECHO," the Cess/a C-152 entered the lower boundary of the LTMA sector without obtaining prior air traffic control clearance. Upon establishing contact with Kraków Approach, the pilot stated they were proceeding according to the filed flight plan. The controller instructed the pilot to maintain their current position. However, the pilot likely misheard or misinterpreted this instruction, responding that they were maintaining altitude and proceeding toward point "INDIA."
To maintain separation from an aircraft on approach, the controller subsequently instructed the pilot to turn to a heading of 160 degrees. Despite this maneuver, the required separation between the two aircraft was breached. The minimum distance between the aircraft dropped to 4 NM horizontally and 300 feet vertically, failing to meet the required standards of 5 NM and 1000 feet, respectively. The aircraft were not in a collision configuration at the time of the incident.
The investigation
The PKBWL examined the flight sequence, the pilot's communications, and the controller's management of the traffic. The investigation focused on the unauthorized entry into controlled airspace and the subsequent failure to maintain radar separation between the aircraft in the TMA.