On June 21, 2010, a 1. Cirrus Design Corp. SR22 was involved in an aviation accident near nahe Eisenach, DE. This summary draws on records from the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU).
On 21 June 2010, a Mitsubishi Mu 2B-26A and a Cirrus SR22 came within 0.28 NM horizontally and 100 ft vertically near Eisenach. No injuries or damage resulted.
Event Overview On 21 June 2010, at approximately 08:05 local time, a serious incident occurred in Class E airspace about 13 nautical miles southwest of Eisenach. A Mitsubishi Aircraft International Inc. Mu 2B-26A and a Cirrus Design Corp. SR22 approached each other closely. Radar records showed a minimum separation of 0.28 nautical miles horizontally and 100 feet vertically. No persons were injured, and no damage was reported to either aircraft or to third parties. ## Flight Details The Mu 2B-26A was operating under visual flight rules from Eisenach-Kindel to Egelsbach, climbing in a southwesterly direction. The SR22 was operating under instrument flight rules from Bremen to Nuremberg at flight level 70. At 08:04:22, the SR22 crew received traffic information from air traffic control describing VFR traffic at approximately 10 o'clock, four miles, moving left to right, with an indicated altitude of 5,900 feet, not confirmed. The SR22 crew acknowledged that the traffic was on their traffic system but not yet in sight. The SR22 pilot stated that visual contact was not possible at that time due to clouds. No TCAS traffic advisory or resolution advisory was issued. The SR22 pilot reported being in a mid-level cloud layer when the other aircraft emerged from the clouds, passed above the SR22, and disappeared into the clouds. At 08:04:43, as the Mu 2B-26A was passing approximately flight level 60, its crew received traffic information from a flight information specialist describing traffic at about 2 o'clock, four miles, crossing right to left, at flight level 68. The Mu 2B-26A pilot replied that he believed the traffic was in sight. At 08:05:50, the Mu 2B-26A pilot reported having passed the other aircraft. The Mu 2B-26A pilot stated that he had conducted the entire flight in visual meteorological conditions. After receiving the traffic warning, he reported the other aircraft in sight and increased his climb rate to 3,000 feet per minute. He said he kept the other aircraft in sight at all times and was able to pass it without difficulty. His intended cruising level was flight level 85, and he passed the other aircraft at flight level 79, approximately 1,200 feet above it. Radar records documented that the Mu 2B-26A was at flight level 69 when it passed the SR22, which was at flight level 68, at a distance of 0.28 nautical miles. Both aircraft continued their flights as planned. ## Personnel The Mu 2B-26A pilot was a 49-year-old commercial pilot licensed under JAR-FCL German regulations, with a first issue date of 10 November 1994 and over 10,000 hours of flight experience. The SR22 pilot was a 65-year-old commercial pilot licensed by the United States Department of Transportation – Federal Aviation Administration, with a first issue date of 23 April 2008 and over 2,200 hours of flight experience. The flight information specialist was a 30-year-old licensed for approach and area control including flight information service, with a first issue date of 4 July 2002. The air traffic controller was a 30-year-old licensed for approach and area control including flight information service, with a first issue date of 24 July 2003. ## Aircraft The SR22 was a four-seat, single-engine low-wing aircraft with a maximum takeoff mass of 1,542 kg. It was certified for operation in the United States and was equipped with an Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS). The Mu 2B-26A was a twin-engine turboprop high-wing aircraft with a maximum takeoff mass of 4,750 kg. It was certified for operation in Germany and operated by a German air transport company. It was not equipped with an ACAS. ## Meteorological Conditions According to the German Weather Service, very moist air with predominantly heavy cloud cover up to flight level 90, beneath a subsidence inversion, determined the weather in the affected area. No precise statements could be made about cloud-free layers. Light precipitation occurred in parts. A satellite image showed a closed cloud cover in the area of the approach. The automatic weather station at Eisenach recorded overcast conditions at 08:00 with cloud bases around 500 feet above ground level. ## Airspace and Procedures Class E airspace is controlled airspace in which both IFR and VFR flights operate. IFR flights are separated from other IFR flights but not from VFR flights. Where possible, IFR flights receive traffic information regarding VFR flights, and VFR flights also receive traffic information where possible. VFR flights must maintain 8 km flight visibility and remain 1.5 km horizontally and 1,000 feet vertically from clouds.