What happened
On October 22, 2019, at 15:37 LMT, a Cessna 172, registration SP-AKT, departed from Kraków Pobiednik (EPKP) bound for Rudniki (EPRU). The flight was being conducted by an instructor and a student pilot as part of a cross-country navigation exercise (Task III, Exercise 5), intended to verify routes prior to solo flight operations. The flight was the second leg of a planned multi-leg itinerary including EPBA, EPKP, EPRU, EPKM, and EPBA.
The aircraft landed at Rudniki (EPRU) at approximately 16:30 LMT. Following the landing, it was discovered that a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) was in effect for that day, which had deactivated the TRA 61 airspace zone.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation focused on the crew's awareness of active airspace restrictions and their adherence to flight planning procedures. The investigation examined the flight documents and the operational status of the airspace during the time of the flight.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the crew's failure to properly analyze documents and information regarding the planned flight route.
- The crew did not account for the active NOTAM restricting the TRA 61 zone during their pre-flight or in-flight planning.