Lufthana Cityline E190 at Paderborn on Jul 18th 2018, near collision with glider aircraft

Last Update: April 25, 2019 / 20:39:27 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of Lufthansa Cityline D-AECC, Embraer ERJ-190 — Lufthansa Cityline D-AECC, Embraer ERJ-190 (Photo credit: redlegsfan21 / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jul 18, 2018

Classification
Report

Cause
Near collision

Airline
Lufthansa Cityline

Flight number
LH-364

Departure
Frankfurt/Main, Germany

Destination
Paderborn, Germany

Aircraft Registration
D-AECC

Aircraft Type
Embraer ERJ-190

ICAO Type Designator
E190

A Lufthansa Cityline Embraer ERJ-190, registration D-AECC performing flight LH-364 from Frankfurt/Main to Paderborn (Germany) with 20 passengers and 4 crew, was descending towards Paderborn. The aircraft had been cleared to descend to FL060 and was already level at FL060 when the crew got sight of a glider plane in very close vicinity and initiated an instant escape maneouver climbing their aircraft to about FL078 and advising ATC "we have to deviate due to a glider". After being clear of conflict the crew continued their approach to Paderborn and completed a safe landing about 11 minutes later.

Germany's BFU released their final factual report without formal conclusions stating that the crew of the ERJ-190 reported the glider plane's separation had reduced to about 20 meters/66 feet vertical and 50 meters/160 feet horizontal, the glider pilot estimated their closest point at about 300 feet vertical and 1500 feet horizontal. The first officer (33, CPL, about 4,850 hours total) was pilot flying and spotted the glider aircraft first which appeared to be straight ahead in their flight path, the first officer assessed that a collision would occur without aggressive evasive maneouver. He disengaged autopilot and pulled the nose up and climbed the aircraft to 7,888 feet MSL before descending again.

The glider aircraft was a Schleicher ASK-21, not equipped with a transponder. Both aircraft were operating in Air Space E " in which IFR and VFR flights occur. IFR flights are separated to other IFR flights but not to VFR flights. Whenever possible, IFR flights receive information about VFR flights. VFR flights also receive traffic information whenever possible." The BFU further stated: "Above 5,000 ft AMSL transponders are mandatory for powered aircraft."

Due to a number of similiar occurrences the BFU had issued two safety recommendations to the German Ministry of Transport:

Safety Recommendation No. 02/2017

The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) should cancel the existing exception that allows neglect of transponder transmission for the operating mode gliding above 5,000 ft AMSL or 3,500 ft GND according to the Verordnung über die Flugsicherungsausrüstung der Luftfahrzeuge (FSAV) (Regulation Concerning Avionics Equipment of Aircraft).

Safety Recommendation No. 03/2017

The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) should ensure commercial flights in accordance with Instrument Flight Rules with aircraft of more than 5.7 t take-off mass or more than 19 seats only occur in airspaces where air traffic control is able, at any time, to issue traffic information and avoidance recommendations regarding all other aircraft operating in the same airspace, and on-board or ground-based collision warning systems (ACAS and STCA) can warn about impending collisions.