Qantas jets and small plane ‘flew too close,’ air safety authorities say

Qantas Airways

AIR safety authorities are investigating a close call between two Qantas 737 jets and a small plane coming in to land at Melbourne Airport last week

The planes were 28km from the airport when they breached separation requirements last Thursday in what the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has classed as a “serious incident”.

The two Qantas flights – from Adelaide and Brisbane – were making the final descent to Tullamarine at the standard distance apart when a turbo-prop Nomad plane started flying head-on towards the first Qantas jet, Crikey reports.

The small plane, which was conducting an aerial survey, flew briefly at the same altitude of 1300m before moving out of the way according mapping by Airservices Australia community website Webtrak.

The small plane also turned in too close behind the second 737 jet.

The investigation is continuing.

News