C24/1998L Risk of Collision Between Two Airliners Southwest of Vihti VOR, Finland, on 9 October 1998

On Friday 9 October 1998, at 22.51 local time, an air traffic incident occurred about 50 NM west of Helsinki at an altitude of 6250 metres. The incident involved a DC-9-81 (MD-81) airliner, call sign SAS 714, which was operated by Scandinavian Airlines System on a scheduled flight from Copenhagen to Helsinki, and a B727-223F airliner, call sign BCS 6514, which was on a cargo flight from Helsinki to Gatwick operated by European Air Transport. The aircraft were on intersecting flight paths and eventually passed each other so that the required minimum separation was broken.

Tampere area control centre reported the incident on 9 October 1998, by filling in the Finnish CAA’s form ILL/3626, ”Report on a hazard to flight safety”. Neither of the crews is known to have filed an incident report.

The Accident Investigation Board (AIB), Finland commenced an investigation (C 24/1998 L) on 16 October 1998. Air traffic controller Mr. Pertti Haimi was appointed to investigate the incident and airline transport pilot Mr. Pentti Niemi was consulted during the investigation. The investigation was closed on 15 February 2000.

C24/1998L Report (pdf, 0.14 Mt)