2020155
|
16 Oct 20
1124
|
PA31
(Civ Comm)
|
Drone
|
5127N 00023W
2NM ESE Heathrow
2000ft
|
London CTR
(D)
|
The PA31 pilot reports a near miss with a drone while calibrating
the London City ILS. The drone was 12-18 inches in size, green in colour and at
2000ft, approximately 1NM to the south of Heathrow's southern runway
centreline.
Reported Separation: 0ft V/50-75ft H Reported Risk of Collision: NR
The NATS Safety Investigation reports that the SVFR
controller telephoned Heathrow Tower at 11:24:15 and informed them of the
drone sighting by the crew of [the PA31]. This information was passed to
aircraft waiting to depart, of which one was already established on the
take-off roll on RW09R. At 1125:35, a sporadic radar contact displayed
approximately 1NM northwest of the previously reported drone position. |
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. Subsequently, another pilot reported sighting an object
approximately 2min later in a similar position [Airprox 2020150].
Applicable
Contributory Factors: 1, 2, 3, 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
|