An air traffic controller did not issue a "safety warning" before two planes collided mid-air because he believed the pilots were already "sorting themselves out".
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Bendigo pilot and popular member of the local flying community Chris Gobel was one of four people killed in the aircraft collision in Mangalore in central Victoria on the morning of February 19, 2020.
Peter Phillips, Ido Segev and Pasinee Meeseang were also killed as a result.
Air controller believed there was enough room between planes
Mr Phillips had been instructing Mr Segev on the VH-AEM aircraft, which was descending from about 6000 feet to carry out training closer to 4000 feet.
Ms Meeseang was being taught by Mr Gobel in the other plane, VH-JQF, which took off from Mangalore as VH-AEM was approaching the uncontrolled airspace.
John Tucker, who was the air traffic controller that morning, told the Coroners Court there was sufficient separation between the two planes in the lead up to the collision.
He became emotional at times appearing before the Court, as he took the inquest through the final moments of both flights as displayed through his air control screen and a recording of communications between Mr Tucker and those on the two planes.
He received four notifications through his traffic control system about potential conflict between the aircraft but he did not issue a "safety alert".
Student pilot acknowledged traffic information
The inquest did hear that Mr Tucker had provided traffic information to VH-JQF alerting them to the fact that AEM was "six miles in your 12 o'clock" - which Mr Tucker agreed effectively meant "dead ahead".
Ms Meeseang on JQF had acknowledged that flight information.
Two of the potential conflict notifications then happened 30 seconds before the fatal crash.
Mr Tucker told the inquest it was common for air traffic controllers to receive multiple conflict notifications that were either false or nuisance alerts.
'Looked like they were sorting themselves out'
He said the two planes appeared to be levelling out before the crash so he assumed the pilots were communicating with each other on a different radio frequency.
"It looked like they were sorting themselves out," he told the inquest.
Mr Tucker was not able to hear whether those conversations on the different radio frequency took place.
He also told the inquest he believed issuing a specific "safety alert" message when he believed the planes to be passing each other would have been "distracting" to the pilots.
The court also heard the only difference between his instructions to Ms Meeseang and any potential safety alert message that could have been made would have been the use of the words "safety alert".
Accident has 'ruined so many lives'
The planes crashed mid-air at 11.24am and Mr Tucker issued a distress message after he was unable to reach the pilots.
The air traffic controller said he believed he did everything required of him.
"I can only assume the aircraft were not communicating or keeping a look out," he told the inquest.
Outside court, Mr Segev's fiancee Brianna Sutcliffe said she hoped the inquest would provide answers.
"This accident has ruined so many lives, including mine," she told reporters.
"I will not rest until I receive transparency regarding the events surrounding the loss of my soulmate."
The inquest before State Coroner Judge John Cain is expected to run for four days.
with Australian Associated Press
Lucy Williams
Journalist with an interest in telling regional and rural stories, and covering the diverse array of topics that matter to the people of Bendigo.
Journalist with an interest in telling regional and rural stories, and covering the diverse array of topics that matter to the people of Bendigo.
