What happened
On 15 July 2020, a private aircraft was conducting a flight that involved several unplanned deviations from its original flight plan. The flight originated from the departure airfield near GDN (Gdańsk) and initially proceeded toward GDN 120. However, the pilot diverted the aircraft to GD180, and subsequently attempted to return to the departure airfield.
Following this, the aircraft deviated again toward GD260 and then to GD240, where the malfunction appeared to recur. The pilot then attempted to return to the departure airfield, but the aircraft deviated once more toward GD080. The flight pattern continued as the pilot attempted to return to the departure airfield, only to deviate again toward GD180, passing through the 2nd airspace. The final leg of the flight concluded with the aircraft landing at 12:27 local time at the departure airfield.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events and the reasons behind the repeated deviations. The investigation established that the aircraft had been serviced by a licensed company and had undergone a repair to ensure the continuing airworthiness of the aircraft prior to the flight. The investigation also noted that while there was no direct report from any third-party organization to the Polish Civil Aviation Authority (ULC) regarding the deviations, the investigation was conducted to identify the cause of the flight path irregularities.
Findings
- The aircraft performed multiple unplanned deviations from its intended flight plan.
- The aircraft had been serviced and repaired by a licensed company to maintain airworthiness before the flight.
- There was no direct report of the deviations provided to the ULC by any third-party organization.
- The investigation found no high safety risk identified in the deviations themselves, though the deviations were noted as a matter of interest.