B738 / B738, en-route, south of Écija Spain, 2019

B738 / B738, en-route, south of Écija Spain, 2019

Summary

On 16 July 2019, a Boeing 737-800 inbound to Malaga and another Boeing 738-800 inbound to Seville and under area radar control lost separation after the Malaga-bound aircraft was unexpectedly given radar headings to extend its destination track miles after early handover to a control  sector which it had not yet entered. With no time to achieve resolution, the two aircraft, both descending, came within 1.3 nm of each other at the same level. The Investigation attributed the conflict to an overly-permissive Letter of Agreement between Seville Centre and Malaga Approach and recommended that it be revised to improve risk management.

Description

On 16 July 2019, a Boeing 738-800 (EC-LYR) being operated by Air Europa on a scheduled international passenger flight from Paris CDG to Malaga as AEA1036 and another Boeing 738-800 (EI-FRP) being operated by Ryanair on a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Palma de Mallorca to Seville as RYR61NN lost separation whilst both flights were descending under radar control on different frequencies and the Malaga-bound aircraft passed 1.3nm behind the unseen Seville-bound aircraft at the same level in day VMC.

Investigation

The Spanish Commission for the Investigation of Accidents and Incidents (CIAIAC) carried out an Investigation using recorded ATC data.

It was noted that the Air Europa flight crew consisted of a 39 year-old Captain with a total of 12,100 hours flying experience which included 6,276 hours on type and a 24 year-old First Officer with a total of 2,050 hours flying experience all except 305 hours of which were on type. The Ryanair flight crew consisted of a 46 year-old Captain with a total of 8,500 hours flying experience and a 37 year-old First Officer with a total of 395 flying hours.  

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