The Civil Aviation Agency adopted 2024 Occurrence Report, whose objective is to improve aviation safety, to promote measures of preventing reoccurrences of importance for safety, as well as to strengthen safety culture.
During the last year, there were 451 occurrences reported in Montenegro and abroad, where aircraft from the Montenegrin civil registry were involved. One of them is classified as an accident without fatal consequences or seriously injured persons, which presents decrease of such cases when compared with previous year. It was an occurrence in general aviation in which a sailplane participated.
The air transport is completely recovered at global level, indicating growth of 3.8% in 2024, when compared to pre-pandemic year of 2019.
As regards the level of air traffic above Montenegro and Serbia (airspace where SMATSA provides services of air traffic control), amount of transport is around 129% when compared to 2019, which presents a clear indicator of air traffic recovery. During the last year, the growth of 9.5% was noticed when compared to 2023.
There was a record number of operations at Podgorica Airport, i.e. in the last year there were 7.5% more than in 2019. Tivat Airport continues with recovery from consequences of pandemic and witnesses growth of operations by 18.5% when compared to 2023, so its level is 92.3% when compared to 2019 as a record year.
Additionally, we hereby state that the majority of reported occurrences in 2024 cover three categories:
OTHR (other) category, including all occurrences that can not be categorised in some of pre-defined categories, while UNST related occurrences are stated out.
BIRD (birdstrikes) – events of collision of bird and aircraft. Increased bird presence is, inter alia, caused by particularities of the location in the vicinity of international airports (nature, reservation area, river canyons, huge area under vineyards etc.), but also by the fact that Montenegro is situated at the bird migration corridor positioned north-east, as well as by the problem of illegal landfills and uncontrolled disposing of garbage that represents source of food for birds.
SEC (security) – aviation security related occurrences, with significant number of reports because of laser obstruction.
As regards other occurrence categories, through report analysis it is identified that particular can be more frequent during a single year. For example, there were 4 cases of fuel spill from airplane vent outlet in 2023 with different operators, and that did not occur in 2022 or 2024. Thus, it must be constantly observed whether it is a case of individual incidents or more frequent trend, where the need for timely reaction with appropriate measures can emerge.
In any case, occurrences of types MAC, NAV, WSTRW, ARC, MED, as well as others, have stable trends. Through analysis of other categories in reported occurrences, relatively stable trend of occurrences regarding technical serviceability of aircraft is identified (but without affecting flight safety), emergency situations due to medical condition of passengers (medical), occurrences of categories WILD, WSTRW, MAC, NAV, ARC, MED occurrences etc.
With objective of raising safety level, the Agency conducts number of promoting activities, and professional workshop on sailplanes attended by representatives of all aero-clubs in Montenegro, as well as Mass & Balance workshop are pointed out.
Pursuant to all of the above mentioned, aviation safety in Montenegro is considered to be at satisfactory level, where it is necessary for aviation entities to realistically consider trends of their own operations, to identify hazards and to analyse risks and to take measures for their reducing.
The Agency shall, through the instrument of regular oversight and inspections, continue to check and verify level of application of the abovementioned, as well as operation of aviation entities in accordance with positive trend of their own operations and identified hazards.
