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| Date: | Sunday 21 May 2023 |
| Time: | 15:00 |
| Type: |  Tecnam P2006T |
| Owner/operator: | TAS Flyers |
| Registration: | HB-LBU |
| MSN: | 071 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2011 |
| Engine model: | Rotax 912 S3 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Serious incident |
| Location: | Les Éplatures (LSGC) -
 Switzerland
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Speck-Fehraltorf Airfield (LSZK) |
| Les Eplatures Airfield (LSGC) | |
| Investigating agency: | STSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On May 21, 2023, shortly before noon, the ASH 26 E glider, registered HB-2283, and the SZD-55-1 glider, registered HB-3118, independently conducted long distance flights along the Jura Mountains heading west from the airfields of Dittingen and Granges. In the early afternoon, the twin-engine aircraft P2006T, registered HB-LBU, took off from the Speck-Fehraltorf airfield for a training flight aimed at performing two instrument approaches at Les Eplatures (LSGC).
The general weather situation was good, with a cloud base at about 2150 m (corresponding to 7100 ft above sea level). After the first approach to runway 24, HB-LBU followed the missed approach procedure and began climbing into a holding pattern over the airfield to prepare for the next approach. On the outbound leg of the holding pattern, HB-LBU passed close to HB-2283 at 3:00 pm, and seven minutes later, while following the instrument approach procedure, to HB-3118, both times at an altitude of about 7000 ft.
Both dangerous encounters, including a near collision, occurred outside and near the control zone, in Class E airspace, where the HB-LBU crew had been made aware of the presence of several gliders by the appropriate approach control center, based on conflict warning system alerts and numerous traffic information updates.
Causes: The serious incident, during which a powered aircraft flying under instrument flight rules and two gliders flying under visual flight rules came dangerously close within minutes of each other, occurred because the pilots did not see the other aircraft in time.
The following factors contributed to the occurrence of this serious incident:
- During the instrument approach procedure, the powered aircraft was flying in Echo airspace, outside the control zone surrounding Les Eplatures airfield (LSGC), where both glider pilots were conducting their distance flights. As a result, air traffic control had limited ability to prevent a collision.
- The cloud situation, in the form of congestus cumulus clouds prevailing at the altitude of the involved aircraft, made visual recognition of the aircraft difficult.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
STSB
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Jan-2024 18:03 | Helicoman | Updated [Location, ] |
| 13-Sep-2024 11:21 | ASN | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Plane category, Accident report, ] |
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