Re: Fly Ernest nuova compagnia
Incident: Ernest A320 near Kosice on Jun 23rd 2019, loss of communication prompts intercept
By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Jun 25th 2019 21:55Z, last updated Tuesday, Jun 25th 2019 21:55Z
An Ernest Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration EI-LIX performing flight ERN-547 from Milan Malpensa (Italy) to Kharkov (Ukraine), was enroute at FL360 near Kosice (Slovakia) when two North Atlantic Alliance MIG-29 were scrambled to establish contact with the aircraft after radio contact with ATC had been lost, the interceptor aircraft caused sonic booms over Slovakia while proceeding towards the airliner at about 21:30L (19:30Z). Radio contact was re-established with the airliner and the airliner continued to Kharkov for a safe landing. The fighter aircraft returned to their Sliac (Slovakia) air base.
Slovakia's Ministry of Defense confirmed the booms heard by residents on the ground were caused by MIG-29 figter aircraft intercepting the flight to re-establish radio contact.
The flight, scheduled to depart Milan at 10:00L actually departed with a delay of 10:15 hours.
BELOW THE PRESS RELEASE DISTRIBUTED BY ERNEST ON THIS TOPIC:
On June 23, 2019 our aircraft EI-LIX, operating the flight ERN 547 from Milan MXP to Kharkiv, flying at a cruise altitude of 36.000 feet and in contact with Wien’s Radar on freq. 118.73, then flying over Slovak controlled airspace, where there was no handover received from Bratislava Control airspace, nor any assessment of situation in progress. At 7.30 pm our crew recognized a military aircraft flying on the left wing of our aircraft, without anyhow putting our crew and passengers at risk at all. The position was at the time about 20 NM form MALBE , overflown at 19.37.
“Our crew tried to contact them on different frequencies to check on radio status and availability of Guard frequency 121.5 on radio 3, but no answer received. The interceptor didn't have any radio contact with us, and it left its position as soon we tried first contact with ATC”, said Alfredo Sostero, Accountable Manager of Ernest Airlines.
He continued - “The interaction was determined to be safe, due to the military aircraft conducting a very short passage of a few seconds alongside of our aircraft, maintaining our crew and passengers outside of any risk. Our flight crew tried to contact next sector LVIV Radar on freq. 135.6 and after several attempts obtained finally an answer. Our crew informed them about the lack of communication and LVIV answered they were not aware of the event.
Our crew asked Lviv to further investigate on that matter and they answered that Bratislava was trying several times to get in contact with us.
Immediately, after landing at Kharkiv airport, our aircraft had a radio check at destination even with the Guard Channel.
Our aircraft departed again from Kharkiv and without any further lack of communication during the next flight, that landed in Milan at 00.47 , where EI-LIX, a brand new Airbus aircraft 320 CEO, delivered to Ernest Airlines in December 2018, which has never presented technical problems in its operations so far, followed a complete check of the VHS Systems, Radio management panel and audio management unit, in order to check further the communication system, but no malfunction was found”.
) è fermo da 3 giorni a VCE dopo un decollo abortito
