Overview
On 23 June 2016, at approximately 12:16 local time, a serious incident occurred over Rakvere, Estonia, involving a private Eurostar Evektor 97 (registration D-MBFZ) and a military formation of two Aero L-39 Albatros and two Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. The incident took place in uncontrolled G-class airspace at an altitude of 900–1,000 feet. No injuries or aircraft damage were reported.
Aircraft and Crews
- Eurostar Evektor 97 (D-MBFZ): A light aircraft, flown by a private pilot. The pilot had not filed a flight plan and did not inform Tallinn Air Traffic Control (ATC) of his planned flight, but was monitoring the ATC frequency. The aircraft was equipped with a functioning transponder.
- Military Formation: Consisted of two Estonian Air Force Aero L-39 Albatros and two UK Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. Each pair had one transponder switched on, and the pilots were in two-way communication with Tallinn ATC. They were flying in close formation at 244 knots.
Sequence of Events
On the day before the incident (22 June 2016), the EV97 pilot had contacted Tallinn ATC for traffic information and received it. On 23 June, the pilot checked NOTAMs using AirNavPro software. At approximately 12:15, the EV97 departed from Rakvere Airfield (EERE) from runway 26, climbing to 900–1,000 feet at 80 knots.
Meanwhile, the military formation had flown from Ämari Air Base, performed a flyover at Võru at 1,000 feet, and continued towards Rakvere. At 12:16, as the formation approached Rakvere at 900–1,000 feet and 244 knots, they encountered the EV97. To avoid a collision, the lead pair of L-39s executed an evasive maneuver. The L-39 pilots immediately radioed the danger to the following Eurofighter Typhoon pair, which increased altitude and overflow Rakvere at a higher altitude than planned.
Investigation Findings
The Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau (OJK) classified the event as a serious incident. The investigation found that all pilots acted in accordance with existing regulations during flight planning and operations, adhering to radio communication and information exchange requirements for uncontrolled airspace. However, the current Estonian regulatory framework regarding flight preparation and planning was described as occasionally imprecise and unclear, and did not ensure safety for aircraft operating at very different speeds in uncontrolled airspace.
The European regulations (EU 923/2012) do not require filing a flight plan or obtaining flight information in G-class airspace, but mandate that pilots familiarize themselves with all available information (AIP, NOTAMs). The EV97 pilot had no direct legal obligation to inform Tallinn ATC of his flight. The OJK noted that had the pilot obtained additional information (as he did before a previous flight), the incident might have been prevented.
Probable Cause
The serious incident was caused by the fact that the EV97 pilot did not inform Tallinn Air Traffic Control about his planned flight, and the pilots of the L-39 and Eurofighter Typhoon lacked sufficient information about traffic in the area.