Loss of Communication Incident Involving Union Jet Flight EUJ 203 and German Air Force Interceptors

Incident Overview and Initial Response On June 21, 2005, the crew of a Fokker 100, registration EI-DBR, operating as Union Jet flight EUJ 203, was conducting a flight from Manston (EGMH) to Prague/Ruzyně (LKPR) at flight level 350. The aircraft entered the EDUU flight information region and subsequently the LKAA flight information region without establishing radio communication with air traffic control or activating the SSR code 7600. The Combined Air Operation Center (CAOC) declared an intervention, resulting in the scramble of two German Air Force F-4F Phantoms, designated QRA GE, to intercept the non-communicating flight near the ODOMO entry point into the LKAA FIR. ## Operational Context and Airspace Environment The incident occurred during a joint NATO exercise in the LKAA and EDUU FIRs, which involved a simulated interception of a non-communicating aircraft. The Military Air Traffic Control Center (MACC) Prague had declared summary control for western sectors up to flight level 260, and temporarily reserved airspace was active in the LKAA FIR. At 10:51 UTC, the Command Reporting Center (CRC) received information from the CAOC regarding the loss of communication with EUJ 203 and the subsequent scramble of QRA GE. ## Timeline of the Interception At 10:52:50 UTC, Ground Control Intercept (GCI) informed the MACC that QRA GE had lost communication and was returning to its base in Germany. By 10:54:13 UTC, the ACC shift leader in Prague was informed that EUJ 203 was flying without communication approximately 60 nautical miles west of ODOMO. At 10:57:51 UTC, GCI requested permission for QRA GE to climb from flight level 200 to flight level 270 due to fuel shortage, which was initially denied by the lower-level procedural controller but later approved. At 11:00:00 UTC, GCI confirmed that QRA GE was intercepting EUJ 203 and requested a further climb to flight level 350. ## Resolution and Communication At 11:03:43 UTC, the EUJ 203 crew failed to establish communication at the ODOMO entry point and continued into the LKAA FIR. At 11:06:12 UTC, the crew began climbing from flight level 350 to flight level 361, likely in response to a TCAS Resolution Advisory. At 11:08:17 UTC, the crew established communication with the southwest middle sector (SWM EC) on 132.065 MHz and was informed of the QRA GE intervention. At 11:09:47 UTC, the crew confirmed visual contact with the interceptors. At 11:10:15 UTC, QRA GE established communication with the EUJ 203 crew on 121.5 MHz, providing information about the interception and requesting confirmation of the flight plan. At 11:11:40 UTC, GCI informed the MACC that the interception had ended and QRA GE was returning to its base in Germany. The incident resulted in no injuries, aircraft damage, or other losses.