What happened
On July 24, 2022, a Cessna T206, registration SP-CPN, was conducting an IFR flight from Dajtki (EPOD) toward a landing area near Konstancin. The flight plan included a transition from IFR to VFR at specific waypoints within the Warsaw TMA. While cruising at FL 80, the aircraft approached the boundary of the Warsaw TMA.
At approximately 18:53 UTC, the Olsztyn FIS controller contacted Warsaw Approach (APP) to coordinate the aircraft's entry into the controlled airspace. Due to existing traffic, the Warsaw controller denied the entry request and instructed the aircraft to continue flying below the TMA. At the time this information was relayed to the crew, the aircraft was only approximately 9.3 NM from the TMA boundary, leaving very little time to react.
As the aircraft approached the ORBUZ waypoint, the pilot noted that the notification regarding the denied entry had been received too late. To avoid penetrating the controlled airspace, the pilot initiated a descent. Eventually, after coordination between FIS and APP allowed the aircraft to enter the TMA at 3,000 ft AMSL, the pilot transitioned from IFR to VFR and began the descent for landing.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation examined the coordination between Olsztyn FIS and Warsaw APP, as well as the pilot's response to the traffic instruction. The investigation established that the coordination between the two controllers regarding the aircraft's entry was performed in a manner inconsistent with regulations. Furthermore, the investigation reviewed the pilot's claim that the late notification necessitated a high-rate descent, while noting that the ultimate responsibility for the maneuver rested with the crew.
Findings
- The primary cause of the rapid descent was the unjustified belief by the crew that they would receive authorization to enter the TMA, which left them unprepared for the denial.
- Late coordination between Olsztyn FIS and Warsaw APP contributed to the situation.
- The pilot executed a descent that the pilot himself characterized as unsafe due to high vertical speeds.