Pilots narrowly avert head-on collision after “late sighting,” investigation finds

An investigation has concluded that a “late sighting” prevented a potential head-on collision between two light aircraft over Northamptonshire. This near-miss incident, which took place near Sywell on 24 May, involved a white DA40 aircraft and a red, white, and grey RV6 model. The pilot of the DA40 initiated a climb after becoming aware of another aircraft flying at 12:00 BST and at an identical altitude, with the other plane subsequently passing directly beneath them. Following a review of pilot accounts, radar imagery, and various reports, the UK Airprox Board assessed the collision risk for this incident as Category B, representing the second highest level of risk. The DA40 pilot stated during the investigation that they believed a collision was probable had they not undertaken “immediate avoiding actions.” Conversely, the RV6 aircraft’s pilot reported making visual contact with several aircraft but did not consider any to be within “close proximity.” Investigators determined that the RV6 aircraft’s situational awareness was “ineffective” because its pilot was not aware of the DA40’s presence. Consequently, it was ruled that safety margins had been diminished, and despite the DA40 pilot performing a late avoidance manoeuvre, a risk of collision had existed.