Aircraft proximity - Cessna 172, VH-CNW and Piper PA-28R-201, VH-AIZ, Ballarat Airport, Victoria, on 4 December 2010

On 4 December 2010, a Cessna Aircraft Company 172S aircraft, registered VH-CNW (CNW) and a Piper Aircraft Corp PA-28R-201 aircraft registered VH-AIZ (AIZ), were conducting concurrent training flights at Ballarat Airport, Victoria. A flight instructor and student were on board CNW and had entered the circuit with the intention of conducting a touch-and-go. AIZ was preparing to commence a flying training exercise from Ballarat Airport to the local training area with an instructor and student pilot on board.

CNW joined downwind for runway 05 due to glider activity on runway 36. While AIZ lined up on runway 36 due to the more favourable wind direction.

Following a touch-and-go landing on runway 05, CNW was between 70 and 150 ft above the ground, when the instructor saw an aircraft airborne off runway 36 passing from right to left in front of them, in close proximity. The instructor of AIZ became aware of CNW at about the same time and both instructors took control of their aircraft and carried out evasive action.

One instructor estimated they were within 15-30 m of each other horizontally, at about the same height.

While both aircraft made radio broadcasts, it could not be determined why they could hear other radio traffic in the area, but not each other.

The aircraft operator of AIZ has planned the following safety action in response to this incident:

• Institute a training procedure for trainee pilots to positively identify the location of any aircraft making a radio broadcast on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) at Ballarat Airport.
• Conduct a workshop for all staff and trainees on situational awareness.

The aircraft operator of CNW has alerted their staff and students to be extra vigilant when operating in and around Ballarat Airport and have limited student pilots from entering the circuit at Ballarat.