Investigation number
199300842
Occurrence date
State
Western Australia
Report release date
Report status
Final
Investigation type
Occurrence Investigation
Investigation status
Completed
Aviation occurrence category
Loss of separation
Occurrence class
Incident

VH-KPY had been cleared to operate on a photographic survey near Perth. VH-HYI was inbound to Perth from the south-east and was tracking via a five nautical mile final for runway 03 when the radar return indicated that the aircraft were approaching the minimum separation standard. The duty Air Traffic Controller recognised the situation and gave avoidance instructions, however they were too late to prevent separation between the aircraft reducing to less than the minimum standard of five nautical miles. The Air Traffic Controller had poorly planned the arrival of VH-HYI and had allowed himself to become annoyed at a separate co-ordination problem that he had partially created. The annoyance contributed to the reduction in separation standards in as much as it reduced his concentration on the task of maintaining separation between the two aircraft whose closing speed was of the order of 500 knots.

Aircraft Details
Manufacturer
Airbus
Model
A320-211
Registration
VH-HYI
Sector
Jet
Departure point
Melbourne VIC
Destination
Perth WA
Aircraft Details
Manufacturer
Beech Aircraft Corp
Model
56TC/A1
Registration
VH-KPY
Sector
Piston
Departure point
Jandakot WA
Destination
Jandakot WA