Island air incident a 'misunderstanding'
Tues "The Australian"
Island air incident a 'misunderstanding'
By Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
July 20, 2004
AIR safety investigators are looking at whether a procedural misunderstanding resulted in a Jetstar Boeing 717 taking evasive action that alarmed passengers over Hamilton Island on Saturday.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau yesterday ordered a category four investigation into the event, its second lowest for probing aviation incidents.
The lower category indicates investigators do not believe the aircraft were in imminent danger of colliding, and Qantas has also rejected suggestions of a "near miss".
"Reports to hand from both crews and air traffic control indicate there may have been some misunderstandings regarding procedures," the ATSB said yesterday.
Jetstar Flight 711, with 124 passengers on board, banked sharply after taking off from Hamilton Island's runway 14 for Sydney about 4.20pm and confronted a Qantas Boeing 737 on approach to the same runway. The Qantas crew reported it could see the Jetstar plane and was aware of its altitude and track. Qantas said the B717 crew had also spotted the 737.
"Both planes were in visual contact and there was no danger to any passengers," the airline said.
It is understood the Jetstar crew elected to take evasive action after receiving a traffic advisory from the B717's traffic collision avoidance system.
A traffic advisory warns of traffic in the area but is not as serious as a resolution advisory, which tells crew a collision is imminent and recommends what action to take.
Passengers said the Jetstar aircraft banked left after taking off steeply and started to descend as the Qantas aircraft passed close by.
The B717 crew later told the ATSB it considered the avoiding action was warranted and Jetstar chief executive Alan Joyce yesterday defended the action. He said the aircraft had been under the directions of Hamilton Island tower and had maintained separation at all times.
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