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An air traffic controller did not issue a safety warning before two planes collided in midair because he believed the pilots were already “getting in order,” an investigation has heard.
Peter Phillips, Ido Segev, Pasinee Meeseang and Christiaan Gobel died when their planes crashed in Mangalore, central Victoria, on the morning of February 19, 2020.
Mr. Phillips had been instructing Mr. Segev in the VH-AEM aircraft, which was descending from about 6,000 feet for training closer to 4,000 feet.
Ms. Meeseang was being instructed by Mr. Gobel on the other aircraft, VH-JQF, which took off from Mangalore as VH-AEM approached uncontrolled airspace.
John Tucker, who was the air traffic controller that morning, told the coroner’s court there was sufficient separation between the two planes before the collision.
Air traffic controller John Tucker (right) told the coroner’s inquest on Monday that he thought there was enough separation between the two planes before they collided.
Peter Phillips, Ido Segev, Pasinee Meeseang and Christiaan Gobel died when their planes crashed in central Victoria. In the photo you can see the remains of one of the planes.
It received four notifications through its traffic control system about a possible conflict between the aircraft, but did not issue any safety alerts.
Two of those notifications occurred 30 seconds before the fatal accident.
Tucker told the inquiry that it was common for air traffic controllers to receive multiple conflict notifications that were false or nuisance alerts.
He said the two planes appeared to be leveling off before the crash, so he assumed the pilots were communicating with each other on a different radio frequency.
“It seemed like they were sorting themselves out,” he told the inquest.
The planes crashed in midair at 11.24am and Tucker issued a distress message after he was unable to contact the pilots.
The air traffic controller said he believed he had done everything that was asked of him.
“I can only assume that the planes were not communicating or monitoring,” he told the inquest.
Outside court, Segev’s fiancée, Brianna Sutcliffe, said she hoped the investigation would provide answers.
“This accident has ruined many lives, including mine,” he told reporters.
“I will not rest until I receive transparency into the events surrounding the loss of my soulmate.”
The inquest before state coroner John Cain is expected to last four days.
Ido Segev’s heartbroken fiancée Brianna Sutcliffe (pictured) attended the inquest on Monday hoping to get answers.