What happened
On February 11, 2008, a Cessna 172N, registration OK–VFR, operated by Letov Air Flight Services s.r.o., entered restricted airspace within the Prague TMA II, CTR LKPR, and MCTR LKKB. The incident began at 15:22 UTC when Prague Approach (APP LKPR) identified the aircraft at 3,600 feet near Neratovice. At that time, a ČSA flight 671 was descending toward 4,000 feet. To avoid a potential conflict, air traffic controllers instructed the ČSA crew to level off at 5,000 feet.
The pilot of the Cessna 172N was flying with three passengers to show them the local scenery. During the flight, the pilot climbed and turned toward Mělník. Due to deteriorating visibility, the pilot misidentified the Spolana factory in Neratovice as the factory in Štětí. Under the mistaken belief that the aircraft was outside the Prague TMA II, the pilot continued the flight path, inadvertently infringing upon controlled airspace. Upon realizing the error, the pilot maintained an altitude below 3,000 feet until returning toward Letňany. Due to further poor visibility, the pilot eventually requested navigational assistance from Kbely Tower to reach Letňany airport.
The investigation
The ÚZPLN investigation examined the flight path, the pilot's statements, and the meteorological conditions. The investigation established that the aircraft entered the CTR LKPR near Kostelce nad Labem at 2,147 feet and subsequently entered the MCTR LKKB near Přezletice. The investigation confirmed that while the aircraft's actions created a potential collision risk with ČSA 671, no actual loss of separation occurred. The investigation also considered the impact of the weather, noting that visibility had worsened during the flight.
Findings
- The pilot committed a navigational error by misidentifying a landmark (Neratovice for Štětí).
- The aircraft entered the Prague TMA II, CTR LKPR, and MCTR LKKB without required ATC clearance.
- The pilot's insufficient pre-flight preparation and limited experience were the primary causes of the incident.
- Deteriorating meteorological conditions may have contributed to the pilot's loss of situational awareness.