Event
On 25 May 2001 at 06:53 UTC, an airprox occurred between two aircraft in the Aerodrome Traffic Zone (ATZ) of Rome Urbe Airport. The aircraft involved were a Cessna 182, registration I-LUPP, and a BN-2P, registration I-LACO. The I-LUPP was on a tourism flight operated by Aero Club Lugo, while I-LACO was engaged in aerial work operated by City Fly. No damage was sustained by either aircraft or their occupants.
Aircraft and Crew
I-LUPP was a single-engine high-wing aircraft powered by a Continental O-470-L engine. It carried a pilot and one passenger. I-LACO was a twin-engine aircraft; details of its crew are not specified in the report.
Sequence of Events
I-LACO had taken off from Rome Urbe runway 34 and made a left turn to join the left downwind leg, intending to return to final approach for hooking a banner as part of its mission. Meanwhile, I-LUPP, arriving from Lugo di Romagna, entered the downwind leg without first contacting the control tower and without reporting its entry point at ‘Settebagni’ into the ATZ. As a result, the two aircraft found themselves perpendicular to each other at close range. The tower then instructed I-LACO to execute a right turn to avoid collision, informing it of traffic at 12 o’clock. I-LACO performed the turn with a bank angle of 60° at approximately 800 ft.
Meteorological Information
Conditions included calm wind, visibility 7 km, and scattered clouds at 2500 ft.
Analysis
The official investigation identified that the pilot of I-LUPP failed to comply with air traffic rules, which led to the airprox.