What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2023-11-14 involved a TECNAM modelo P2008 JCII, registration EC-ODX, at Aeropuerto de Burgos (Burgos), ES.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The incident was caused by a breakdown in situational awareness across all parties: the pilots failed to monitor communications effectively, and the air traffic service provider failed to maintain adequate surveillance of the traffic sequence.

Loss of Separation Between Two Aircraft at Burgos Airport

An inadequate separation occurred between a Tecnam P2008 JC and a Czech Sport PS-28 Cruiser during the final approach at Burgos Airport due to communication and surveillance failures.

What happened

On November 14, 2023, at approximately 16:00 local time, two aircraft belonging to the FlyBy flight school experienced a loss of separation while operating in the traffic pattern at Burgos Airport, Spain. The first aircraft, a Tecnam P2008 JC, registration EC-ODX, was being operated by a flight instructor and a student pilot on a training flight. The second aircraft, a Czech Sport PS-28 Cruiser, registration EC-NIM, was being operated by a student pilot performing solo take-offs and landings.

The instructor in the EC-ODX had recently performed a go-around and was turning to the base leg for runway 22. Meanwhile, the student pilot in the EC-NIM was on the final approach. The student pilot failed to report his position on the base leg as requested by the AFIS (Aerodrome Flight Information Service) personnel. Consequently, the aircraft ended up in a dangerous configuration where the EC-NIM was flying approximately 100 feet below and slightly above the EC-ODX. The student pilot in the EC-NIM eventually realized the presence of the other aircraft when the instructor reported his position via radio, noting the other aircraft was directly above him. The instructor in the EC-ODX subsequently performed a go-around to resolve the conflict. Both aircraft landed safely without further incident.

The investigation

ways the CIAIAC examined the event focused on the communication between the pilots and the AFIS personnel, as well as the operational procedures of the flight school. The investigation reviewed the ATS operational agreement between the airport (SAERCO) and the flight school (FlyBy).

Investigators found that the student pilot in the EC-NIM did not follow the AFIS instruction to report his position on the base leg. Furthermore, the instructor in the EC-ODX did not provide an accurate position update, turning to the base leg 30 seconds after his radio report. The investigation also looked into the AFIS service, noting that the controller did not maintain constant surveillance of the traffic sequence and failed to inform the instructor of the presence of the second aircraft during a critical phase of the maneuver.

Findings

The primary cause of the incident was that the pilots failed to maintain active listening to radio communications, while the AFIS personnel failed to maintain constant surveillance of the traffic, which prevented the establishment of a clear landing sequence.
The student pilot in the EC-NIM did not comply with the request to report his position on the base leg.
The instructor in the EC-ODX failed to provide precise positioning information due to a delayed turn.
The AFIS personnel did not inform the crew of the EC-ODX about the presence of the EC-NIM when the instructor announced his intention to perform a go-around.
There were discrepancies in how the flight school and the AFIS service interpreted the requirement to report positions at specific legs of the traffic pattern.