3 April 2018
The pilot of a light aircraft has been fined £3,600 after he landed at Coventry Airport without being given permission by air traffic control.
David Harbottle was also ordered to pay £4,500 costs to the CAA. The 69-year-old, from Ottershaw Park in Surrey, had his pilot’s licences suspended following the incident on 22 June 2017.
He was convicted of landing without permission and for failing to use the correct radio frequency to communicate with the airport’s air traffic control unit. No evidence was offered on a third charge of landing on a runway while it was being used by another aeroplane.
Coventry magistrates heard he had tried to contact the airport 19 times but on the wrong radio frequency which meant air traffic control was unable to hear him, unaware he was calling and intending to land.
The court heard a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) had been issued, informing flyers that the radio frequency to contact the airport’s tower had changed.
11 comments
A quick search around the internet using the limited information in the report suggests that there could very well be more to this than has been reported. Was anyone here in court at the time?