What happened
On September 6, 2022, a Tecnam P2008-JC, registration SP-DME, departed EPLL aerodrome for a training flight involving visual navigation and landing exercises. The flight crew's route included stops at EPTM and EPPT aerodrome. While approaching the ECHO waypoint near EPPT, the student pilot notified the flight coordinator of their intention to land. The coordinator provided landing conditions and instructed the crew to report before entering the right traffic pattern for runway 03 at an altitude of 1700 ft AMSL.
During this period, the crew's communication transitioned from English to Polish after the flight coordinator addressed them in Polish. Although the student pilot switched to Polish, the instructor—who did not speak the language—did not intervene to maintain English communications.
Simultaneously, a Cessna 172M, registration SP-FTC, departed EPPT for a familiarization flight in the right traffic circuit for runway 03. As the Tecnam crew struggled to locate the EPPT aerodrome, the instructor decided to allow the student to continue at approximately 2,000 ft AMSL, intending to provide position updates only once over the airfield. The instructor did not notify the flight coordinator or other aircraft in the area of this change in flight profile.
At approximately 08:45 hrs, the Tecnam P2008-JC entered the traffic pattern area making a right turn, but was traveling in the direction opposite to the established traffic flow. During this maneuver, the instructor observed the Cessna 172M passing approximately 100 to 200 ft above their aircraft. Following this airprox, the Tecnam crew joined the runway 03 pattern in a downwind position behind the Cessna, performed a low pass and a touch-and-go, and subsequently returned to EPLL.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight profiles of both aircraft, the communication protocols used during the approach to EPPT, and the instructor's management of the student pilot during the navigation difficulties.
Findings
- The primary cause of the occurrence was the non-standard entry into the traffic pattern by the Tecnam P2008-JC, which was flying approximately 300 ft above the prescribed altitude.
- The student pilot failed to recognize the airfield at the required distance.
- The instructor failed to notify the flight coordinator or other airspace users of the intention to fly a non-standard entry.
- The instructor failed to react to the switch from English to Polish during radio communications, which prevented effective supervision of the student's radio calls.