A320 / JAB4, vicinity Ballina NSW Australia, 2020

A320 / JAB4, vicinity Ballina NSW Australia, 2020

Summary

On 28 November 2020, in uncontrolled Class ‘G’ airspace, an Airbus A320 inbound to and in contact with Ballina and an en-route light aircraft tracking abeam Ballina both listening out on a shared Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) did not recollect hearing potentially useful CTAF calls and converged on intersecting tracks with the light aircraft TCAS only selected to Mode ‘A’. The A320 received a TCAS TA but neither aircraft visually acquired the other until the minimum separation of 600 feet with no lateral separation occurred. Changes to the air traffic advisory radio service in the area were subsequently made.

Description 

On 28 November 2020, an Airbus A320 (VH-VGP) being operated by Jetstar Airways on a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Melbourne to Ballina and a Jabiru J230 (24-7456) on a private flight from Heck Field to Evans Head and intending to pass abeam Ballina were both descending and on intersecting flight paths in day VMC when they passed within 600 feet vertically with no lateral separation in Class ‘G’ airspace without prior awareness of the other aircraft.

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