What happened
On October 15, 2018, at 12:20 UTC, two Diamond DA40-D aircraft, registrations G-RKAH and G-RKAG, were conducting local training flights under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) near Huesca/Pirineos Airport (LEHC). The aircraft belonged to the same flight school, Airways Aviation Academy.
The first aircraft, G-RKAH, was on a dual-instruction flight with an instructor and a student. Shortly after takeoff, the crew performed a simulated engine failure maneuver. During this period, the instructor noticed another aircraft approximately 1 NM away and performed an evasive maneuver by climbing and turning right to yield priority.
The second aircraft, G-RKAG, was being operated by a student pilot on a solo flight. The student had just completed a touch-and-go maneuver and was returning to the downwind leg of the traffic pattern.
Radar data and crew testimonies indicate that the flight paths of the two aircraft crossed twice. The first encounter occurred with approximately 0 NM horizontal separation and 100 ft vertical separation. During the second encounter, the aircraft were at 0 NM horizontal separation and 200 ft vertical separation. There were no injuries and no damage to either aircraft.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation examined radar tracks provided by ENAIRE and testimonies from the flight crews. The investigation noted that the aircraft were operating in the Flight Information Zone (FIZ) of Hues and that the Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS) was not actively providing services at the exact moment of the incident, although it was within operational hours.
Investigators analyzed the flight paths, which were converging. The investigation also reviewed the flight school's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), which require pilots to maintain continuous surveillance and communicate positions. The investigation noted that the aircraft were not equipped with TCAS or flight data recorders.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a failure to adhere to VFR communication and surveillance procedures and deficient monitoring of the surrounding airspace during continuous traffic operations.
- The converging geometry of the flight paths and the relative seating positions of the occupants contributed to the difficulty in maintaining visual contact.
- High workload during specific maneuvers—a simulated engine failure in G-RKAH and a recent touch-and-go in G-RKAG—aggravated the situation by demanding significant pilot attention.