AO-1997-017

BAe 146 ZQA 729 and Fairchild Metro EAG 165, air proximity incident, near New Plymouth, 21 December 1997
Status
Closed
Occurrence Date
Report Publication Date
Jurisdiction
NZ
Legacy Inquiry Number
97-017
At 1610 hours on Sunday 21 December 1997 a BAe 146 aircraft overtook a Fairchild Metro aircraft flying on the same track and at the same flight level, in controlled airspace. Both were on scheduled passenger flights. The estimated passing distance was 100 to 500 metres horizontally, and 20 to 150 feet vertically. Both aircraft were complying with their air traffic control clearances, and were under radar control. Neither of two radar controllers, in Auckland and Christchurch, had perceived the conflict between the aircraft.

Safety issues identified are:
• the desirability and difficulty of crews maintaining situational awareness of other traffic,
• controllers' use of basic flight progress strip and radar information,
• the implementation of short term conflict alert for air traffic control radar, and
• the adoption of traffic collision avoidance system equipment for aircraft.

Safety recommendations were made to the Director of Civil Aviation and to the Chief Executive of the Airways Corporation of New Zealand.
Location
near New Plymouth (-39.237472,174.199991) [may be approximate]