Student pilot had near-miss with glider over Cranfield

The near-miss happened near Cranfield in Bedfordshire

A flying instructor had to take evasive action when his student pilot did not react fast enough to another aircraft in mid-air, a report has found.

A descent was started by the instructor when the student, training in a Cessna 310 near Cranfield, Bedfordshire, was slow to respond to a nearby glider.

The glider pilot said he saw the twin-engine aircraft fly "straight past the cockpit" 25m to 35m (82 to 115ft) away.

The UK Airprox Board said the risk was Category B, the second-highest.

The Cessna instructor believed the distance between the aircraft was more like 100m (328ft) but "wished to apologise to the glider pilot if he thought separation was compromised".

'High risk'

His student had just begun climbing after a missed approach at Cranfield when the glider was spotted, and when the student failed to respond quickly to a command to turn to increase separation, the instructor increased bank and started a descent.

After the incident on 26 June the glider pilot - who believed the other aircraft was flying at approximately the same level - assessed the risk of collision as high, while the Cessna instructor believed there to be no risk.

Given the disparity in the distances reported by both pilots, board members "wondered if there could have been an element of startle factor" in the glider's report.