Germanwings A319 at Stuttgart on Jun 26th 2017, TCAS descent at 1200 feet AGL

Last Update: February 6, 2020 / 17:55:49 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of Germanwings D-AGWB, Airbus A319 — Germanwings D-AGWB, Airbus A319 (Photo credit: Jonathan Winton Photography / Flickr / License: CC by-nd)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jun 26, 2017

Classification
Incident

Airline
Germanwings

Flight number
4U-2464

Departure
Stuttgart, Germany

Destination
London Heathrow, United Kingdom

Aircraft Registration
D-AGWB

Aircraft Type
Airbus A319

ICAO Type Designator
A319

A Germanwings Airbus A319-100, registration D-AGWB performing flight 4U-2464 from Stuttgart (Germany) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was in the initial climb through 1200 feet AGL out of Stuttgart's runway 07 when the crew received a TCAS resolution advisory "Descend! Descend!", the first officer, pilot flying, complied and reversed their climb into a descent reaching a descent rate of 1600 fpm, the EGPWS now alerted "Don't Sink! Don't Sink!". The captain, pilot monitoring, decided that the TCAS RA had priority and was to be followed until 400 feet AGL. Due to radio traffic congestion the crew was unable to immediately inform about the TCAS RA. After descending about 300 feet the TCAS announced "Clear of conflict", the crew resumed the climb and continued the flight to their destination without further incident.

Germany's BFU reported in their June bulletin released in October 2017, that an ultra light aircraft was nearing the airport and had requested a permission to cross over the aerodrome with tower. Tower instructed the aircraft to continue to a point one nautical mile south of the aerodrome, tower would then call to clear for crossing over the aerodrome. The pilot acknowledge to proceed to 1nm south of the aerodrome and he would then call for crossing. Tower did not correct. Tower subsequently cleared the A319 for takeoff from runway 07, queried the ultra light whether he could see the A319, the pilot confirmed and was subsequently cleared to cross the aerodrome behind the departing A319. The crew of the A319 observed the light aircraft moving into their flight path, tower queried the ultra light again whether he could see the A319 which was affirmed. Tower warned the ultra light the A319 might climb very steeply, "please cross behind", the ultralight acknowledged "wilco". 4 seconds later tower instructed the ultralight to turn away to the right immediately then cross, "das wird so nix" (this isn't going anywhere), the pilot acknowledged he was turning right away. The A319 crew was informed about the conflicting traffic and confirmed they had the ultra light in sight. Then the crew received a TCAS resolution advisory to descent at 1200 feet AGL followed by an EGPWS warning "Don't Sink!", the captain decided to follow the TCAS RA until 400 feet AGL assigning the "Don't Sink!" warning a lower priority. After the ultralight had turned away tower queried the A319 "traffic is now away, can you continue to climb?", the crew was able to now transmit "TCAS Resolution", in the background of the transmission "Don't Sink!" could be heard twice. After descending about 300 feet the TCAS announced "Clear of conflict", the crew radioed the clear of conclict and resumed the climb.

The BFU reported the minimum separation between the two aircraft according to radar data was 600 feet vertical and 0.2nm lateral.

The investigation of the occurrence rated a serious incident continues.

On Feb 6th 2020 the BFU released their final report concuding the probable cause of the serious incident was:

The airprox of the two aircraft in the departure sector of Stuttgart Airport was caused by the ultralight pilot not following the radio instructions of the tower controller even though he had acknowledged them.

The A319 flight crew deliberately accepted the Enhanced Ground Proximity warning during the avoidance manoeuvre.