SB20 / C510, vicinity Lugano Switzerland, 2011

SB20 / C510, vicinity Lugano Switzerland, 2011

Summary

On 16 December 2011, a Saab 2000 in the hold and an opposite direction Cessna VLJ joining it lost procedural separation in IMC near Lugano due to conflicting ATC clearances issued by the same controller who had used the wrong Transition Level. Any risk of collision was removed by a TCAS RA activated on the Saab 2000 but the Investigation found that the DFTI radar display available to the controller to help resolve unexpected emergency situations was configured to systematically convert SSR standard pressure altitudes to QNH for altitude display using a distant and inappropriate value of QNH.

Description

On 16 December 2011, a Saab 2000 being operated by Darwin Airline on positioning flight from Geneva to Lugano lost separation against a Cessna C510 VLJ being operated by Italian air taxi company MyJet on a “commercial flight” from Biggin Hill UK to Lugano in day Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). Both aircraft were in Italian airspace delegated to Swiss ATC control. A TCAS RA was activated on the Saab 2000 and, in conjunction with a Traffic Advisory System (TAS) awareness alert activated in the Cessna, ensured that there was no actual risk of collision. No relevant evasive manoeuvres were required and both aircraft subsequently landed without further event in sequence at Lugano.

Investigation

The conflict occurred in Italian airspace and was not reported to the Swiss Accident Investigation Board (SAIB) until three days after it had occurred. The SAIB then advised the Italian authorities who delegated the Investigation to the SAIB.

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