Airprox, Glaser Dirks LS8, PH-1454, Piper PA-28-181, OY-SPL, to the south of Zwartsluis
PH-1454, a Rolladen-Schneider LS8-18 single-seater glider, took off from Lemelerveld glider airfield at 16:15 hours for an overland flight. Around 16:30 hours, the glider was flying to the south of Zwartsluis when a motorised aircraft passed by at a very short distance. The aircraft crossed the glider’s path from right to left at approximately the same altitude. Since PH-1454’s pilot was taken by surprise, he did not have time to take evasive action. Nor did the pilot of the motorised aircraft engage in an evasive manoeuvre.
Investigation showed that the motorised aeroplane was a Piper PA-28-181 with the Danish registration OY-SPL. The aircraft had taken off from Breda International Airport at 15:47 hours on a flight to Ringsted airfield in Denmark. The pilot and three passengers were on board. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot received clearance to continue the flight under instrument flight rules (IFR). The pilot then engaged the autopilot, after which the aircraft continued on a northeasterly course at an altitude of 5000 feet in the direction of Denmark. He stated that he remembered having been alerted to the presence of gliders by air traffic control in the course of his flight, but he could not remember where this was. The pilot and passengers had been alert at all times, but had not seen any other aircraft nearby. They had not noticed the incident.
A further description of this serious incident can be found in the Quarterly Aviation Report over the 4th quarter of 2019.
