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Fiery Essendon DFO plane crash pilot Max Quartermain failed key test two years before fatal crash

Caroline SchelleNCA NewsWire
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Camera IconNot Supplied Credit: Supplied

A pilot who died in a fiery plane crash at a Melbourne shopping centre along with four passengers had a “major failure” during a key proficiency test two years before the tragedy.

Max Quartermain was flying the aircraft when it crashed into the Essendon DFO shortly after take off about 9am on February 21, 2017.

The crash killed the 63-year-old and four American tourists on board – Greg De Haven, Glenn Garland, Russell Munsch and John Washburn.

A coroner is probing the crash and was told the pilot underwent an instrument proficiency check following a mid-air incident involving another plane at Mt Hotham in September 2015.

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FILE Plane Crash Essendon
Camera IconThe plane crashed into the DFO at Essendon Fields adjacent to the airport on February 21, 2017. Supplied Credit: Supplied

Civil Aviation Safety Authority inspector Naomichi Nishizawa gave evidence on Tuesday about what happened during the in-flight test and whether he considered revoking the pilot’s licence.

The in-flight test involved a simulated single engine failure and Mr Quatermain had to conduct a safe instrument approach to Essendon Airport, the inspector said.

But the pilot appeared to mistakenly adjusted the wrong instrument, which led to the approach becoming “unstable”, Mr Nisizawa told the court.

The expert was ready to take control of the aircraft and described the incident as a “major failure”.

Pilot Max Quartermain, 63, who died along with four passengers when his aircraft crashed at the DFO close to Essendon Airport near Melbourne.
Camera IconPilot Max Quartermain, 63, who died along with four passengers when his aircraft crashed at the DFO close to Essendon Airport near Melbourne. Credit: Supplied

“In my observation he was in a state of shock,” Mr Nishizawa said of the pilot after the botched proficiency check.

Mr Nishizawa told the court he did not speak to the pilot about the Mt Hotham incident after he failed that portion of the test because of the state he was in.

The aviation expert was quizzed about whether he considered revoking, varying or cancelling Mr Quatermain’s licence.

“It was too premature to make that determination,” he told the court.

The inspector recommended remedial training following the incident.

He also described the pilot as “nervous” before the inflight test and appeared to be “stressed”.

Golfers
Camera IconAmerican golfers (l-r) John Washburn, Glenn Garland, Russell Munsch and Greg DeHaven died in the tragic plane crash. Source: Facebook Credit: Supplied

The inspector said Mr Quartermain had not flown with a CASA inspector for a substantial period of time and seemed to be “stressed” following the Mt Hotham incident.

However the inspector also told the court he did later pass him and said people had “good days and bad days”.

“A person who fails a flight test does not necessarily equate as being immediately underperforming,” Mr Nishizawa said.

The court was also told the pilot had nine non-compliance notices in February 2016, a year before the crash.

The fatal flight was bound for King Island off the coast of Tasmania and was one of the state’s worst civil aviation crashes.

The hearing in front of Coroner Darren Bracken will continue on Wednesday.

Originally published as Fiery Essendon DFO plane crash pilot Max Quartermain failed key test two years before fatal crash

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