Date:	Monday 8 January 2024
Time:	11:30 UTC
Type:	Airbus A319-132
Owner/operator:	Eurowings
Registration:	D-AGWD
MSN:	3011
Year of manufacture:	2007
Engine model:	IAE V2524-A5
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 92
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	Serious incident
Location:	near Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport (BCN/LEBL) -   Spain
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Hamburg-Helmut Schmidt Airport (HAM/EDDH)
Destination airport:	Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport (BCN/LEBL)
Investigating agency:	CIAIAC
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Eurowings flight EW7520, an Airbus A319 (D-AGWD), and Emirates flight EK256, a Boeing 777-200LR (A6-EWE), were involved in a loss of separation incident in the Barcelona CTR airspace during approach to Barcelona Airport (BCN).

Aircraft EK256 coming from the north-west was transferred to sector T4W for arrival at Barcelona via STAR GRAUS2W and subsequent SLL2W transition, while flight EW7520 coming from the north-east was transferred to sector T1W in order to complete STAR ALBER2W and subsequent CLE2W transition.

At the time of the incident, both the Eurowings and Emirates-operated aircraft were in radar and radio contact with the Barcelona ACC F24W geographical sector (Class C airspace, ATS unit involved: Barcelona Approach 119.105) in the vicinity of reference point BL439 during their approach to runway 24R. Both aircraft received TCAS advisories, coming within 0.6 nautical miles of each other horizontally and 200 feet vertically.

Causes
The investigation has determined that the loss of separation between aircraft UAE256 and EWG3LR was caused by incorrect planning and execution of the approach sequence on the part of the T1W sector and inadequate conflict resolution on the part of the F24W sector.
The following factors are thought to have contributed to the incident:
• Inadequate coordination between sectors T1W and T4W, resulting in an unnecessary change to the approach sequence.
• T1W sector planner physically intervened in the positions of other controllers, carrying out inadequate verbal coordination.
• Inadequate management of the speeds, headings and altitudes of the traffic involved by the T1W sector.
• A lack of awareness in terms of the flight levels of the traffics involved on the part of the final sector, F24W, instructing the EWG3LR aircraft to descend to an unavailable level.
• The executive controller of the final sector was unaware of the loss of separation alerts, inadequately managed the flight parameters of the aircraft, and was unable to prevent the conflict.

Weather about the incident time (1130Z):
LEBL 081000Z 31008KT 290V360 CAVOK 07/M04 Q1016 NOSIG
LEBL 081100Z 33010G21KT 290V360 CAVOK 10/M04 Q1015 NOSIG
LEBL 081200Z 33010KT CAVOK 11/M04 Q1015 NOSIG

CIAIAC

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
14-Mar-2024 09:03	ASN	Added
14-Mar-2024 09:03	ASN	Updated [Location, ]
14-Mar-2024 09:04	ASN	Updated