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• August 8, 2016 Create Date
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Aviation Short Investigation Bulletin - Issue 13

On 21 June 2012, at 1718:53 Eastern Standard Time1, a breakdown of separation (BOS)
occurred between a Qantas Airways Boeing 737-438 (B737), registered VH-TJS (TJS) and a
Sharp Aviation Fairchild SA227, registered VH-MYl (MYI) near Melbourne Airport, Victoria.

TJS had earlier departed Sydney, New South Wales for Melbourne Airport, with the first officer as
the flying pilot, while MYI was operating from Orange, New South Wales to Essendon Airport.
Essendon Airport was located about 5 NM (9 km) south-east of Melbourne Airport. Both aircraft
were conducting scheduled passenger services.

The captain of TJS reported that they were initially issued arrival instructions for runway 34
however the arrival runway was later changed to runway 27. TJS was subsequently issued with a
series of radar vectors and speed control instructions by Air Traffic Control for sequencing with
other aircraft, including MYl.

At 1717:44, the approach controller (controller) instructed TJS to turn right to a heading of 230°. At
1717:55, the controller instructed TJS to ‘...descend to three thousand you’re cleared ILS2 runway
27 approach'. At that time, MYI was inbound to Essendon Airport and located about 6 NM to the
south-south-east of TJS.