A military-style jet crashed into Port Phillip Bay on Sunday afternoon after colliding with another plane during a training exercise. The pilot of the jet, who was the only person on board, was killed in the incident. The other plane, a twin-engine propeller aircraft, managed to land safely at Moorabbin Airport with minor damage. No one on the ground was injured.
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The jet, which was a privately owned L-39 Albatros, was part of a group of four planes that were performing aerobatic maneuvers over the bay. According to witnesses, the jet and the propeller plane collided in mid-air near Ricketts Point, causing the jet to spiral out of control and plunge into the water. The propeller plane, which was a Beechcraft Baron, was able to fly back to the airport with a damaged wing. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched an investigation into the cause of the collision. The ATSB said it would examine the wreckage of the jet, which was recovered from the bay by a salvage team, as well as the flight data and cockpit voice recorders from both planes. The ATSB also appealed for any witnesses or anyone with video footage of the incident to contact them.
ATC communications which were recorded by LiveATC after the midair collision in Port Phillip Bay pic.twitter.com/D7J8mPHS7p
— PoliticalPilot #standwithukraine (@PilotPoli) November 19, 2023
The jet pilot, who has not been publicly identified, was a member of the Australian Jet Formation Team, a group of experienced pilots who own and fly ex-military jets for air shows and events. The team posted a tribute to their fallen colleague on their Facebook page, saying he was a "highly respected and skilled aviator" who loved flying. The team also expressed their condolences to his family and friends.
The propeller plane pilot, who was also not named, was a flight instructor who was conducting a training session with a student at the time of the collision. The student, who was in the front seat of the plane, was not injured. The instructor told reporters that he was "very lucky" to survive the crash and that he did not see the jet until it was too late. The incident was the second fatal plane crash in Victoria in less than a week. On Wednesday, a light plane crashed into a paddock near Ballarat, killing the pilot and his passenger. The ATSB is also investigating that crash.
