What happened
On May 4, 2016, at approximately 18:22 local time, an Airbus A319-112 operating an instrument flight rules (IFR) service from Hurghada, Egypt, to Bremen, Germany, experienced a serious disturbance due to a near-collision with an unidentified glider. The incident occurred in controlled airspace E near Visselhövede at an altitude of approximately 5,900 feet AMSL.
The crew of the Airbus, which was carrying 148 passengers and six crew members, observed the glider flying approximately 200 feet above and 50 feet to the right of their flight path, traveling in the same direction. The flight crew reported the encounter to Bremen radar at 18:22:35. There were no injuries and no damage to either aircraft.
The investigation
The BFU investigation examined radar data from the air traffic control organization and radio communications. The investigation established that the Airbus crew had contacted Bremen radar several minutes prior to the encounter to report their descent. The air traffic controller reported that no primary targets representing the glider were visible on the radar screen at the time of the encounter, and the controller only became aware of the glider's presence through the Airbus crew's report.
Furthermore, the investigation found that the glider was not transmitting a transponder signal, which prevented it from being identified as a discrete target. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's collision warning system did not generate any alerts regarding the other aircraft.
Findings
- The glider was flying without a transponder signal, making it difficult for air traffic control to monitor.
- The air traffic controller did not issue any traffic information or avoidance instructions to the Airbus crew prior to the crew's self-report.
- The lack of transponder signal from the glider prevented the air traffic controller from observing the aircraft on radar prior to the crew's notification.