What happened
On October 16, 2021, a Piper PA2 and8, registration SE-FYN, was conducting a flight from EPPL at an altitude of 6,000 ft AMSL. During the flight, the crew lost visual contact with the ground. The Aerodrome Flight Information Service Officer (AFISO) at EPML was notified by FIS Kraków of this loss of visual reference and subsequently alerted other aircraft operating within the EPML aerodrome traffic zone (ATZ) that the aircraft would be descending.
At approximately 11:28, the crew of the Piper PA28 reported that they were flying with visibility at the aerodrome and intended to land to refuel. After receiving traffic information from the AFISO, the crew shortened their left approach to runway 26, performing a direct approach behind an SZD-54 Perkoz glider. At 11:33, both aircraft landed on runway 26, with the Piper PA28 coming to a stop approximately 200 meters behind the glider.
The investigation
The investigation examined the meteorological conditions along the flight path between EPLL and EPWA. METAR reports from 10:30 at these locations indicated scattered clouds with bases between 1,200 and 1,600 ft AGL, and broken clouds at ceilings between 1,700 and 2,600 ft AGL. Additionally, weather reports from nearby EPRZ indicated similar multi-layered cloud cover. The investigation established that the flight path involved flying above two layers of clouds, with the upper layer covering more than half of the sky, which significantly hindered visual navigation and ground observation.
Findings
- The crew experienced a loss of visual contact with the ground while operating under VFR conditions at 6,000 ft AMSL due to flying above cloud layers that covered more than half of the sky.
- There was an inadequate analysis of traffic within the aerodrome traffic pattern.
- The crew's desire to perform a rapid landing contributed to the incident.