What happened
On August 12, 2020, two aircraft operated within the Łódź TMA, creating a potential collision course. The first aircraft, a Piper PA-34 (registration SP-TUE), arrived from Rzeszów with the intention of performing a low pass over runway 07 at Łódź Airport (EPLL). Simultaneously, a Tecnam P2006T (registration SP-MEL) was holding at 3,000 ft near the LOZ VOR, approximately 10 NM from the airport.
After completing the low pass, the crew of the Piper PA-34 reported they were flying along runway 07 heading and climbing to 4,000 ft. This flight path was directly toward the Tecnam P2006T, which was flying in the opposite direction at 3,000 ft. Although the air traffic controller had previously issued specific instructions for the Piper PA-34 to fly toward the DERAM point and climb to 4,000 ft—and had explicitly warned the crew of IFR traffic near the LOZ VOR—the crew continued on the runway heading. The controller was forced to issue an immediate command for a northward turn to avoid the collision. The aircraft eventually achieved separation at a minimum horizontal distance of approximately 3-4 NM as their tracks became divergent.
The investigation
The investigation examined the instructions issued by the tower controller and the subsequent actions taken by both flight crews. The investigation confirmed that the controller's instructions were correct, clear, and used proper aviation phraseology. The controller had provided necessary traffic information regarding IFR movements near the LOZ VOR. The investigation also noted that the controller utilized both visual observation and radar monitoring to manage the traffic. It was established that the standard departure procedure following a low pass would have provided sufficient separation from the holding aircraft had the instructions been followed.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the failure of the Piper PA-34 crew to execute the departure instructions provided after their low pass over the runway.
- The controller's instructions and traffic information regarding other aircraft in the area were correct and properly communicated.