Incident Details
The incident occurred on 25 March 2020 involving a Piper 28-28R-201 aircraft, registration SP-TBK. The flight was a navigation training exercise conducted as part of Commercial Pilot License (CPL(A)) training. The planned route was from Grądy airfield (EPGY) to Szymany Airport (EPSY) with an intended low pass at Szymany, followed by a return to Grądy.
Flight Sequence
During the approach to Szymany, the pilot obtained information from Szymany Airport services regarding the conditions for executing the low pass. Subsequently, the aircraft climbed to an altitude of A040. This climb brought the aircraft into the active zone EPTS02B, which was active from A035 to FL415. The Flight Information Service (FIS) was unable to notify the pilot of the airspace violation at that time because the pilot was maintaining communication with Szymany Airport services. The airport services, after being alerted by FIS, informed the pilot, who immediately descended to A030. The flight continued as planned: the low pass at Szymany was completed, and the aircraft returned normally to Grądy airfield.
Cause
The cause of the incident was determined to be pilot error in the pre-flight preparation process, specifically the neglect of the PAŻP AUP (Polish Air Navigation Services Agency Airspace Use Plan) publication. This oversight led to the in-flight violation of the active zone EPTS02B.
Additional Information
No contributing circumstances were identified, and no preventive recommendations or safety recommendations were formulated.