What happened
On September 4, 2022, a Cessna 150 G with registration D-ECNI was conducting a VFR flight with one passenger on board. After departing from EPBC airport and passing the VFR ZULU waypoint, the pilot established contact with FIS Olsztyn. While the flight initially proceeded normally, the aircraft encountered turbulence, which may have diverted the pilot's attention toward maintaining the intended flight path.
The intended route was designed to bypass the CTR EPMO and the TRA45 airspace. However, during the flight, the passenger noted that the aircraft was passing near the Chrcynno (EPNC) landing field, which was within the active TRA45 zone. At the time, two Cessna 208 aircraft were conducting parachute jumps in this area. As the skydivers descended through approximately 2,300 ft AMSL, the Cessna 150 was flying at approximately 1,000 ft AMSL.
While the pilot believed they had successfully bypassed the jump area to the west, the aircraft actually penetrated the TRA45 airspace. Flight tracking data indicated the aircraft flew approximately 7 km within the zone, penetrating the airspace to a depth of about 1.5 km and passing within 800 meters of the EPNC landing field. The skydivers reported that the aircraft was too close to them, though the pilot stated they did not see any parachutists in the air.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation examined the flight path using data from flightaware.com and reviewed statements from the pilot and FIS Olsztyn. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft entered the active airspace despite the pilot's awareness of the TRA45 activity. Additionally, the FIS Olsztyn controller did not provide the pilot with information regarding the active status of the TRA45 zone and reported that they did not observe the aircraft during its transit through the area.
Findings
- The primary cause of the airspace infringement was improper visual navigation during VFR flight.
- Turbulence may have contributed to the pilot's focus on flight path maintenance rather than situational awareness regarding airspace boundaries.