Separation issue involving a Piper Aircraft Corp PA-31-350, VH-LGI and Beech Aircraft Corp 65-B80, VH-AMQ, 52km W Maningrida, NT on 20 April 1994

The pilot of VH-LGI, enroute from Maningrida to Darwin, reported to Adelaide Flight Service that he had experienced a breakdown in separation with an aircraft travelling in the opposite direction. He was advised there was no other instrument flight rules traffic in the area, and that the aircraft was VH-AMQ operating under the visual flight rules on a SARTIME flight, and therefore not given as traffic. Although both aircraft had made all necessary radio calls, the conflict occurred at a Flight Information Service area boundary when opposite direction traffic are monitoring different VHF radio frequencies.