Airprox, Cessna Aircraft 182R, and Piper Aircraft PA-28, Jandakot, Western Australia, on 13 October 2004

The radar data indicated that the Warrior departed Jandakot via 'Yangebup Lake' and 'Lake Thomson', which were tracking points published for VFR aircraft departing to the south. After passing overhead Lake Thompson, the pilot of the Warrior turned onto a westerly heading, tracking towards the coast at an altitude of 1,500 ft. The aircraft turned onto a southerly heading approaching the coast and passed about 0.5 NM to the southwest of Shipyard (see Figure 1).

General Aviation Aerodrome Procedures (GAAP) were in use at Jandakot. Procedures published in the Airservices Australia Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP), ENR 1.1, 30.3(d) stipulated that when departing, the pilot must:

track via departure procedures (if any) for the particular GAAP aerodrome as specified in ERSA [En route Supplement Australia], or track well clear of GAAP approach points and associated VFR routes, to reduce possible conflict with inbound aircraft.

The ERSA entry for Jandakot stated that aircraft departing via Yangebup Lake should climb to an altitude above 1,500 ft as soon as practical upon leaving the control zone.

The AIP ENR 1.1, 31.5 stipulated that whenever possible, pilots of aircraft arriving from outside controlled airspace:

must track visually via a GAAP aerodrome approach point as specified in ERSA.

The ERSA nominated 1,500 ft as the inbound altitude for arriving aircraft and Shipyard as one of the aerodrome approach points.

The pilot of the Warrior held an overseas flight crew licence and was operating in accordance with a CASA-issued Certificate of Validation. That validation had been recently issued and recognised the pilot's overseas qualifications and permitted the pilot to operate Australian-registered aircraft, while engaged in private day VFR operations. As part of the process of validation, the pilot had undertaken training on local procedures for operating at Jandakot.

The pilot of the Warrior reported that he did not see the opposite direction aircraft.

Radar data confirmed that the pilot of the Warrior departed Jandakot via the relevant tracking points, but remained at 1,500 ft and tracked towards the coast. That tracked the aircraft towards an aerodrome approach point, at the same altitude as used by inbound aircraft.

The investigation concluded that if the Warrior pilot had, as recommended in the En Route Supplement Australia, climbed above 1,500 ft when clear of the Jandakot control zone, a conflict with inbound aircraft would have been less likely to occur.