Description

On 17 August 2012, an Airbus 320 being operated by Swiss on a scheduled passenger flight from Barcelona to Geneva lost separation in Class ‘C’ airspace against a Cessna Citation Excel being operated by German air taxi company Augusta Air inbound to Geneva from Augsburg in day Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC). Both aircraft were operating in accordance with valid ATC clearances and the sector concerned was being operated by a Trainee and OJT pairing. After the conflict was recognised, ATC de-confliction instructions were given but a co-ordinated TCAS RA activation also occurred just after this before the two aircraft closed to less than 1nm laterally when separated by less than 400 feet vertically.

Investigation

The conflict was investigated by the Swiss Accident Investigation Board (SAIB). The circumstances which led to the conflict were reconstructed using ANSP radar and other recordings. It was noted that the conflict occurred (just) inside Swiss airspace which was part of the Geneva TMA with classification ‘C’. It was also noted that the prevailing in-flight visibility over Lake Geneva where the incident occurred had been very good, facilitating visual acquisition by pilots of other traffic in their vicinity subject to line of sight.