What happened
On April 18, 2025, at 12:56 UTC, two aircraft operating under visual flight rules (VFR) experienced two separate close-proximity encounters within the operational VFR corridor of the Gran Canaria CTR. The first aircraft involved was a Leonardo AW13-9, registration EC-KLN, operated by Avincis, which was transiting south through the corridor with a full crew. The second aircraft was a Tecnam P2006T, registration EC-MZZ, operated by Canavia for flight training purposes, carrying an instructor and a student.
The Tecnam P2006T had departed from Maspalomas-El Berriel (GCLB) at approximately 12:53 UTC, heading east toward a visual reference point at the edge of zone A. Because the Gran Canaria Approach controller was managing IFR traffic with priority, the flight school's request for clearance to cross the CTR could not be immediately processed. While waiting for instructions, the training aircraft began a right-hand holding pattern over a fish farm. This maneuver caused the aircraft to enter the operational VFR corridor where the helicopter was traveling.
Two separation violations occurred during this period. The first encounter took place at 12:56:50, when the Tecnam P2006T crossed in front of and above the Leonardo AW139 with a separation of only 0.1 NM and 100 ft. The second encounter occurred at 12:57:34, with the aircraft positioned to the left and above the helicopter at a distance of 0.3 NM and 100 ft.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation focused on the operational decision-making that led the training crew to move to the limits of zone A without prior ATC authorization and to initiate a holding pattern that moved them out of zone A. The investigation examined the following elements:
- The effectiveness of the Canavia Safety Management System (SMS) in identifying and managing operational risks.
- Whether the SMS could detect the practical drift in operations occurring within the Gran Canaria CTR zone A.
- The capability of the aircraft crews to detect one another within the VFR airspace.
- The functionality of the TCAS system installed on the Leonardo AW139.
- The accuracy of the operational VFR corridor representation on the onboard aeronautical charts.
- The specific responses of both crews to the two separation conflicts.