What happened
On the evening of September 1, 1997, a serious safety incident occurred on the runway 06/24 at Tampere-Pirkkala airport. Two single-engine aircraft, a PA-28-161 (OH-PEU) and a CHRISTEN EAGLE II (OH-XHN), performed landings from opposite directions almost simultaneously.
At the time, the OH-XHN was conducting an aerobatic training flight and had been cleared by the controller to land on runway 06. Meanwhile, the OH-PEU was conducting a local flight over Tampere. The pilot of the OH-PEU requested approach instructions and was instructed to approach runway 24 from the east, with a requirement to report the long final. However, the pilot failed to provide the required position report and proceeded to land on runway 24 without clearance.
As the OH-XHN was landing on runway 06, the pilot of the OH-PEU noticed the other aircraft approaching from the opposite direction. The pilot of the OH-PE to noted that the PAPI lights were not visible and was focused on monitoring altitude, believing the aircraft was too high. Upon realizing the presence of the other aircraft, the pilot of the OH-PEU decided to complete the landing, even switching off navigation and landing lights to avoid blinding the oncoming pilot and maneuvering to the left of the centerline to provide space.
The investigation
The investigation examined radio communications between the aircraft and the tower, as well as the controller's actions. The investigation established that the controller was managing a single-person night shift and had access to an approach radar display, though it was not approved for separation purposes.
The investigation also reviewed the handling of an incoming IFR flight, FIN 626, noting that the controller had waived certain separation requirements for the IFR aircraft's airspace reservation without meeting all necessary criteria. Additionally, the investigation looked into the procedures for flight plan submissions and the controller's monitoring of the runway during the period of twilight.