A Coastguard search and rescue helicopter feared a head on collision with a microlight over Aberdeenshire, an official probe has revealed.
The Sikorsky 92 (S92) helicopter was flying at 2,300ft, north of Cruden Bay, when the incident occurred on July 31 last year.
The pilot said they had been warned by air traffic control there was possible traffic, which might be a drone, in the area.
As a precaution, they altered course to further inland and maintained height to allow separation from what might have been a drone from Cruden Bay – which was not due to be above 1,300ft. The captain asked the crew to maintain good lookout.
A microlight was spotted in their “nine o’clock” within 1,093 yards and around 100ft above. The microlight was seen to alter course to the right from its apparent converging heading, but it was too late for the S92 pilot to react.
Pilots’ actions prevented collision
The report on the incident to the UK Airprox Board, which investigates near misses, has now been published.
In their findings, they said: “The pilot opined that, had they (the microlight) not altered course earlier just in case, this could easily have resulted in a different outcome. The pilot assessed the risk of collision as ‘Medium’.”
The pilot of the microlight said they first saw the helicopter two or three miles ahead on their port side. It was crossing their flight path so they turned to port to remain clear.
The pilot assessed the risk of collision as “none”.
The board agreed the actions taken by both pilots, together with the separation between the two aircraft, had been sufficient to ensure that there had been no risk of collision.
Investigators added: “Although the (microlight) pilot had had no prior knowledge about the S92, they had seen the other aircraft at range and assessed that there had been no risk of collision.”
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