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Assessment Summary Sheet

Contributory factor assessment for each assessed Airprox can be downloaded.

Number of Airprox reports assessed, and their ICAO Risk rating
Total Risk A Risk B Risk C Risk D Risk E
12 2 3 5 0 2
Assessed Airprox reports
Airprox Aircraft 1 (Type) Aircraft 2 (Type) Airspace (Class) ICAO Risk
2021020 P68 (Civ Comm) C172 (Civ FW) London FIR (G) C
2021023 C17 (HQ Air Ops) DA40 (Civ FW) Brize CTR (D) C
2021024 AW139 (Civ Comm) Ventus 2cT (Civ Gld) London FIR (G) E
2021029 C152 (Civ FW) B209 (Civ FW) London FIR (G) A
2021032 ASK13 (Civ Gld) Falke (Civ FW) London FIR (G) A
2021033 Embraer 145 (CAT) R22 (Civ Helo) Humberside ATZ (G) E
2021034 PA28 (Civ FW) C182 (Civ FW) London FIR (G) C
2021035 Drone (Civ UAS) DR400 (Civ FW) London FIR (G) B
2021036 PA28(A) (Civ FW) PA28(B) (Civ FW) London FIR (G) C
2021037 PA28 (Civ FW) Zenair CH-601 (Civ FW) Scottish FIR (G) B
2021038 PA28(1) (Civ FW) PA28(2) (Civ FW) Waltham ATZ (G) B
2021050 SZD 51 Junior (Civ Gld) PA28 (Civ FW) London FIR (G) C

 

Consolidated Drone/Balloon/Model/Unknown Object Summary Sheet

Contributory factor assessment for each Drone/Balloon/Model/Unknown Object Airprox can be downloaded.

Number of Drone/Balloon/Model/Unknown Object reports, and their ICAO Risk rating
Total Risk A Risk B Risk C Risk D Risk E
3 1 1 1 0 0
Airprox Number Date

Time (UTC)
Aircraft

(Operator)
Object Location [1]

Description/

Altitude
Airspace

(Class)
Pilot/Controller Report

Reported Separation

Reported Risk
Comments/ Risk Statement ICAO Risk
2021066

31 May 21

1718

A319

(CAT)

Unk Obj

5134N 00009W

12NM NE Heathrow

FL095

London TMA

(A)

The A319 pilot reports that the aircraft was climbing through FL095 and was roughly 8NM SE Brookmans Park, when a drone was spotted. It was black and orange in colour and about 50cm in size. It went from the left to pass down the right-hand-side of the aircraft some tens of metres below.

 

Reported Separation: 20-50m V/<100m H

Reported Risk of Collision: Low

 

A NATS Investigation reported that on reaching FL150 the A319 pilot reported to the TC North controller that they had had a drone sighting when passing FL080 in the climb, approximately 12NM north-east of Heathrow. The pilot reported that the drone passed beneath the right-hand-side of the aircraft and was black and orange. The event was reported to the police. A review of the radar confirmed that there were no associated primary or secondary contacts visible on the radar at the approximate time of the event.

In the Board’s opinion the reported altitude and/or description of the object were such that they were unable to determine the nature of the unknown object.

 

Applicable Contributory Factors: 4, 6

 

Risk: The Board considered that the pilot’s overall account of the incident portrayed a situation where safety had been much reduced below the norm to the extent that safety had not been assured.

B
2021071

3 Jun 21

0811

BE200

(Civ Comm)

Balloon

5153N 00014E

Stansted Airport

1000ft

Stansted CTR

(D)

The BE200 pilot reports that they departed from Stansted RW22 on the UTAVA1R SID. At approximately 1000ft AMSL, they noticed what appeared to be an elongated silver and sparkly party balloon. With no time to react, the balloon just missed the port wing, passing slightly underneath. The Acting First Officer called the near miss to ATC and the flight was continued to its destination without further incident.

Upon reaching the destination, the Approach controller informed them of a message from ATC at Stansted: “Just to let you know the party balloon turned out to be a number 7 and landed on the runway just after you departed>".

 

Reported Separation: NR

Reported Risk of Collision: NR

In the Board’s opinion the reported altitude or description of the object, and the confirmation provided by ATC at Stansted, were sufficient to indicate that it was a balloon.

 

Applicable Contributory Factors: 4, 6

 

Risk: The Board considered that the pilot’s overall account of the incident portrayed a situation where providence had played a major part in the incident and/or a definite risk of collision had existed.

A
2021075

3 Jun 21

1647

 

A220

(CAT)

Drone

5128N 00006W

12NM E Heathrow

4000ft

London TMA

(A)

The A220 pilot reports that they were on the Heathrow RW27R ILS at around 12NM final and 4000ft when the First Officer noticed a drone on their right-hand side. At first, they thought it was a balloon but, when the object passed by, they could clearly identify that it was a drone. It was slightly above their aircraft and was black with a prominent red horizontal line. It was a large drone with 4 big propellers on the corners. It was difficult to estimate the separation and when reported to the police they gave an optical estimate, which the police officer photographed.

 

Reported Separation: 100ft V/ 0.5NM H

Reported Risk of Collision:  NR

In the Board’s opinion the reported altitude and/or description of the object were sufficient to indicate that it could have been a drone.

 

Applicable Contributory Factors: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

 

Risk: The Board considered that the pilot’s overall account of the incident portrayed a situation where although safety had been reduced, there had been no risk of collision.

C

[1] Latitude and Longitude are usually only estimates that are based on the reported time of occurrence mapped against any available radar data for the aircraft’s position at that time. Because such reported times may be inaccurate, the associated latitudes and longitudes should therefore not be relied upon as precise locations of the event.

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