Summary of Data
On Friday, 18 April 2025 at 12:56 UTC, a proximity conflict occurred in the VFR operational corridor of Gran Canaria CTR between two VFR-operated aircraft: a Leonardo AW139 (registration EC-KLN) operated by Avincis and a Tecnam P2006T (registration EC-MZZ) operated by Canavia. The table of injuries shows no fatalities or serious injuries among the 4 occupants of the helicopter and the 2 occupants of the aircraft. Both aircraft sustained no damage.
Details of the Incident
The AW139, operated by Avincis, departed from its base at Gran Canaria Airport at 12:48:12 and was transiting southward through the VFR operational corridor with a full crew (commander, copilot, hoist operator, and rescuer). The P2006T, belonging to Canavia flight school, departed from Maspalomas-El Berriel airfield (GCLB) around 12:53 from runway 25 with two persons on board (instructor and student). They were conducting a dual-instruction flight to Fuerteventura Airport for an instrument approach, with callsign CNA39. After departure, the aircraft left the downwind leg and proceeded east to a fish farm (a visual reference used by the school), located at the boundary of zone A. Due to IFR traffic priority, APP Gran Canaria could not immediately authorize the aircraft to cross the CTR, and the aircraft was instructed to hold. The aircraft initiated a right-hand holding pattern over the fish farm, which took it into the VFR operational corridor where the helicopter was operating. During this holding maneuver, two proximity conflicts occurred: the first at 12:56:50, when the aircraft crossed in front of and above the helicopter from right to left, with a separation of 0.1 NM and 100 ft; the second at 12:57:34, with 0.3 NM and 100 ft separation, the aircraft positioned left of and above the helicopter.
Investigation Progress
The investigation focused on the operational context influencing the aircraft crew's decision to proceed to the limits of zone A without prior ATC clearance and to initiate a right-hand hold that exited zone A. It also examined how Canavia's Safety Management System (SMS) managed hazards and risks, whether the SMS detected practical drift in operations in zone A, the aircraft's detectability in the VFR space, the helicopter's TCAS system performance, the depiction of the VFR corridor on cockpit charts, and the responses to both proximity conflicts. The investigation is complete, and the final report will be published shortly.