Description

On 27 July 2009, a Cessna 525 being operated by Stuttgart-based company Eisele Flugdienst and departing from London City on a passenger charter flight failed to comply with the initial 3000 ft Altimeter Pressure Settings SID stop altitude and at 4000 ft QNH in day Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) came into close proximity on an almost reciprocal heading with a Boeing 777-300ER being operated by Turkish Airlines on a scheduled passenger flight from Istanbul Atatürk to London Heathrow as a Line Training sector. Actual minimum separation was approximately 0.5 nm laterally and estimated at between 100 ft and 200 ft vertically. There were no injuries to any of the 248 occupants of the Boeing 777 or to the 3 occupants of the Cessna.

Investigation

An Investigation into this event was carried out by the UK AAIB after it was assessed as a Serious Incident. The Investigation found that the Boeing had been in compliance with its clearance to descend to 4000 ft prior to the event. It was also found that: