What happened
In 2018, the Dutch Safety Board monitored a variety of aviation occurrences, including 13 accidents and 18 serious incidents. The majority of these events involved general aviation aircraft. Notable incidents included several airprox/near-miss events, such as two separate encounters near the new Noordkop glider airfield involving a single-person glider and a motorized aircraft.
In the general aviation sector, several accidents resulted in fatalities, including a crash involving a Pipistrel Alpha Electro near Onstwedde and a fatal accident involving a Europa aircraft at Hilversum Airfield. Other notable events included a runway excursion involving an A-211 Aquila, registration G-GAEC, at Breda International Airport, where the aircraft bounced during landing, causing the nose wheel to detach. Additionally, a near-miss occurred over the Flevopolder between a Diamond DA-40 NG, registration PH-EGM, and an HOAC DV-20 Katana, registration PH-MFT.
The investigation
The Board examined various technical and operational factors across several incidents. In the case of the Embraer EMB-120ER, registration EC-JBD, at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, investigators looked into a misaligned takeoff. The investigation focused on how the crew interpreted runway edge lights as centerline lights and the impact of infrastructure, such as the interruption of the centerline by taxiway S5, on the pilot's ability to align the aircraft.
For the near-miss between the PH-EGM and PH-MFT, the investigation analyzed radar data and the effectiveness of the 'see-and-avoid' principle under specific lighting and weather conditions. The Board also reviewed an incident involving an Embraer ERJ-170 at Rome Fiumicino Airport, where the crew experienced heavy vibrations in the landing gear during takeoff.
Findings
Investigations revealed several contributing factors to aviation risks in 2018. A primary cause for the Embraer EMB-120ER misalignment was a combination of operational and infrastructural factors, including the lack of centerline lighting on a specific taxiway and potential pilot distraction during ATC clearances.
In the near-miss involving the PH-EHM and PH-MFT, the investigation found that excellent visibility and sunlight actually reduced the effectiveness of anti-collision lights, making the 'see-and-avoid' method difficult until the Traffic Avoidance System provided a warning. Furthermore, the investigation into the A-211 Aquila highlighted that the pilot's decision to continue a landing after a bounce, rather than performing a go-around, contributed to the subsequent structural failure of the nose gear.