Inexperienced Controller Causes Near Miss at EXT

Back in July, a commercial aircraft and a private plane nearly collided at Exeter International Airport (EXT). At one point, the vessels were just 300 feet apart.

The details of a near-miss between a Flybe jet and a private craft in the skies above Exeter International Airport (EXT) in southwest England have been released by the Airprox Board of Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) this week. This body is responsible for monitoring and reporting on near-miss incidents within the UK.

The incident occurred on July 15 as the Flybe jet, which was incoming from the English city of Norwich, was preparing to approach the runway.

It has been reported that, at the time of its descent, the DHC8 Flybe jet was being guided by an inexperienced trainee air traffic controller.

The near-miss occurred as the commercial airline was making its second approach to the runway, its first having been aborted due to what has been reported by the Daily Mail as “conflicting unknown traffic.”

As the Flybe plane descended, a private craft was on approach and at one point, was situated just one and a quarter miles from the airliner.

The Flybe plane was initially told by the controller to “go around,” ascend to 3,000 feet and then bear right. At one point, the controller told the pilot, “This thing’s turning towards you now.”

The Flybe pilot asked the controller to repeat the instructions, only to be told “OK, he’s, er, 12 o’clock and now range of 2 miles now talking to me, don’t know what it is, indicates, er, 2,400ft and, er, I’m not sure which way to go now, er, probably left, left, if you can accept that now, on to 180 degrees.”

During the incident, the distance between the two planes remained at just 300 feet. While neither plane sighted the other, the Flybe pilot said that there had been a significant crash risk.

The controller, who was relieved by an instructor during the incident, later admitted that the order for the Flybe pilot to “go-around” was incorrect.

Speaking of Airprox’s investigation, a spokesperson for EXT said that “This report offers valuable feedback which will be used to further enhance our safety culture.”

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