An inquest into a 2020 air crash north of Melbourne revealed that insufficient communication between the two planes was a significant factor in the accident that killed four pilots. On the final day of the inquest, families of the pilots shared tearful impact statements and called for transparency.
The collision occurred at 11:24am on February 19, 2020, as one plane ascended and the other descended. Ido Segev, 30, and his instructor Peter Phillips were departing Tyabb Airport for Mangalore Airport, while Chris Gobel, 79, was instructing Thai national Pasinee Meeseang, 27, on a flight from Mangalore Airport.
Air traffic controller John Tucker informed both aircraft of each other’s presence between 11:20am and 11:22am. Despite an audio and visual alert warning of their proximity, Tucker did not issue a safety warning, expecting the pilots to communicate over a shared frequency to avoid collision.
Coroner John Cain’s findings highlighted the lack of direct communication between the pilots on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) as a “material factor” contributing to the accident. Although Tucker’s initial calls were deemed appropriate, the coroner noted that a safety alert after a reactivation of the warning at 11:23am might have been beneficial, but it is uncertain if it would have prevented the collision.
Recommendations from the coroner’s report include educational material on accurate departure calls, promotion of ADS-B technology for precise location data, and consideration for expanding the ADS-B rebate program.