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Incident: TRIP AT42 at Tabatinga on Aug 7th 2011, TCAS RA and evasive maneouvers due to military intercept
By Simon Hradecky, created Sunday, Aug 14th 2011 16:21Z, last updated Sunday, Aug 14th 2011 16:27Z
A TRIP Linhas Aereas Avion de Transport Regional ATR-42-500, registration PR-TKD performing flight T4-5524 from Sao Paulo de Olivenca,AM to Tabatinga,AM (Brazil) with 30 people on board,
was on approach to Tabatinga in contact with Tabatinga Tower, when tower reported another aircraft had taken off without takeoff clearance and was conflicting with T4-5524.
The crew levelled off at about 8500 feet but saw another aircraft appear on their own altitude heading towards them prompting a number of evasive maneouvers amid a number of TCAS resolution advisories.
After about 17 minutes of "air combat" it became finally clear that the conflicting aircraft was a Forca Aerea Brazil Aircraft attempting to intercept and guide the ATR-42 to a landing at Tabatinga.
The ATR-42 finally landed safely at Tabatinga.
On Aug 13th Forca Aerea Brazil (FAB) confirmed the intercept stating the aircraft flew through a military restricted area without permission.
The FAB confirmed communication received by the flight crew stating, that the intercept seriously endangered the safety of the civil flight but denied the allegations stating the intercept was legal.
The ATR crew reported that they had been cleared to land at Tabatinga when Tabatinga tower advised them another aircraft had taken off without takeoff clearance and was heading their way creating a conflict.
The crew therefore levelled off at about 8500 feet intending to continue the descent when clear of conflict, but then discovered the other aircraft had climbed to and levelled off at their altitude with course straight towards them.
A TCAS Resolution Advisory followed.
After about 17 minutes of evasive maneouvers, during which the aircraft climbed and descended between about 4500 and 12500 feet, numerous attempts to reach the other aircraft on radio frequency 121.5 without any reply, it finally became clear the conflicting aircraft was a military aircraft intercepting them, after which the crew followed the other aircraft flying to their left wing tip and were guided towards Tabatinga, then the military pilot advised on 121.5 Mhz to proceed to land at Tabatinga.
After taxiing to the apron and shutting down the flight crew went straight to the tower and filed complaints with Brazil's Civil Aviation Authority ANAC as well as FAB.