Separation issue over Bight, 20/9/13

[Rowan McKeever]

Just saw this on ABC News... http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-2...-bight/4971478

[Kazuya H]

If the report is correct, it looks like it was possibly QF642 (VH-EBI) and QF581 (VH-EBO) on the Sydney/Perth route. Will see if the LiveATC archive has anything on Melbourne Center and post here if I find anything.

[Alex T]

QF576 (VH-EBS) Per-Syd - http://blogs.crikey.com.au/planetalk...air-near-miss/

[A McLaughlin]

Have just done a playback on Planefinder (12.23pm AEST - look over the Gulf of St Vincent) and the jets appear to be 1000ft vertically separated, and several miles apart laterally...not sure what the fuss is about.

[Greg Hyde]

Just on Ch10 Sydney News

A/c closed to 700 ft.

ATC stood down pending investigation.

[Robert S]

FlightAware/Google Earth plot shows 900ft vertical at 3.24km distance. Clearly there are significant limitations in this data... I'm presenting it "as is" only.

I spent some of the evening yelling at journalists at Twitter who were sensationalising about near misses, which was about as useful as expected (ie. not very). Most of them were freaking out that 1000ft was too close.

[Robert S]

ATSB page is here: http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/...-2013-161.aspx

12:13 AEST, approx 10NM West of Adelaide

[Robert S]

Ben Sandilands updated his article at the Crikey link above. He is now claiming this:

"The jets came within 700 feet of each other in the incident at a very high combined velocity, which occurred as they were flying mirror image flight paths in opposite directions between Perth and Sydney. ... Information says that as the aircraft followed the RA directions the amount of space between them diminished to about 700 feet. This may be the nearest two airliners have come to each other while at cruise altitudes and speeds in Australian airspace."

The funny thing is that he's even provided a PlaneFinder image in the same article, yet failed to correct himself. Is it really so difficult for journalists to understand three dimensions... especially someone who regularly writes about the aviation industry? Sigh.

Clearly we don't know the actual distance for sure yet, but the case for "within 700 feet" is hardly convincing to say the least.

Part of me is wondering if the 700ft rumour is because FlightAware shows QF581 hit 38300 feet, without realising that it also shows QF576 at 39200 feet at the same time and some distance to the north.

[Robert S]

Ten late news is now claiming they came within 200m and 5 seconds!

Errrr.... reaaaally doesn't look like that.

In fact this whole news report looks like it's been made with the Lazy Journalist's Story Generator.

[Jarrad Phillips]

If you playback FlightRadar 24, starting at 0210 QF581 gets to within 750ft of QF576 just west of Adelaide.