Vic: Pilot landed safely despite mid-air collision: report

AAP General News (Australia)
08-31-2006
Vic: Pilot landed safely despite mid-air collision: report

A transport safety report has found an instructor pilot safely guided his light plane
back to earth on a wing and a prayer .. after his other wing was seriously damaged in
a mid-air collision.

The report says the Piper Warrior instructor and his student were circuit training
at Coldstream Aerodrome .. in Melbourne's outer east last December .. when they collided
with another Piper Warrior.

Despite almost losing the right wing and a stabiliser .. the instructor regained control
before landing safely at Coldstream.

The second plane also landed safely .. with slight wing and nose damage.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau says the first instructor was preoccupied with
helping his student maintain good distance from powerlines and other traffic .. and his
attention may have been affected.

The Bureau says it's a reminder to all pilots to maintain effective look-outs and accurate
altitude checks.

AAP RTV sjm/gfr/cp/bart

KEYWORD: WING (MELBOURNE)

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