+(45+px).png "Paul Dean")
On the 19th of March, 2014 a passenger plane had a “near miss” incident with a long, green or grey, cylindrical shaped object while on its merry way to landing at Perth Airport. Researcher Keith Bastefield and I studied this case for months, which included interviewing the pilot, securing combined radar imaging, looking at local weather data, etc. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s (ATSB) final report, at just 4 pages, was simply titled “Near Collision Between An Unknown Object And A De Havilland DHC-8”. Our own final report can be seen here:
I had always suspected that the object was some sort of high-end consumer rocket or toy missile; and, if so, my fear was that someone had deliberately launched it at the oncoming passenger plane. But without more information I didn’t think we would ever know. That now may have changed. And it doesn’t look good.
On the 24th of November, 2014 I submitted an FOI request to Airservices Australia (ASA) specifically asking for:
. . . any incidences where flight crews have reported any:Less than a month later – on the 10th of December - along comes the reply:
1) Unusual, Unknown, or Unidentifiable Aircraft or Objects;
2) Suspected Drones/Unmanned Aerial Vehicles;
3) Meteoric Events, fireballs and the like;
4) Especially unusual weather phenomenon;
which are held on ESIR or CIRRIS database(s).
“Please find attached an FOI access decision, table of documents and documents being released under the access decision re your request dated 25 November 2014.”Attached was a 3 page PDF file titled “Documents Being Released Under The Access Decision”. It contained tabulated pilot reports of UFO-like events over Australia spanning back 7 years.
I had focused on the more unusual cases in the document. Had I have been a bit more thorough I would have noticed that case number ATS-0118570, occurring at 9.20am on the 4th of January 2013, detailed a troubling event over, like the 2014 case, Perth. It took Keith Basterfield’s keen eye to see the link just tonight. The summary states:
“XKI (DH8C) reported a foreign object of approximate size (1 metre) within close proximity (50ft) of the aircraft causing them to level out briefly as the object passed left hand side. The rocket like object (shaft) was observed to be attached to a parachute. Pilot reported observation at 6800 ft.”
“XKI (DH8C) reported a foreign object of approximate size (1 metre) within close proximity (50ft) of the aircraft causing them to level out briefly as the object passed left hand side. The rocket like object (shaft) was observed to be attached to a parachute. Pilot reported observation at 6800 ft.”
Note the similarities between this 2013 event, and the much studied 2014 case! For starters, both planes are registered to Skippers Aviation.. Both events occurred slightly after 9:00am on weekdays.. Both reports indicated objects similar to rockets or missiles, specifically, “pencil or cigarette like” in dimension (the 2014 case) and “rocket like object (shaft)” (2013 case).. Both events caused the pilots to make efforts to avoid the objects.. And obviously both events happened over Perth.. The big difference between the two cases is, from the information we have, is that in the 2014 case the object went past the plane at 3800 feet altitude and still climbing. In the 2013 case the object was “attached to a parachute” and was seen at 6800 feet altitude. Sounds like some sort of rocket with a parachute no? How cute – until it happens again and strikes the guts of a 300 passenger capacity airliner.
So what is going on here? Has not the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and Airservices Australia seen the link? Certainly the 2014 event was reported by Skippers Aviation pilots to the ATSB, while the 2013 case was reported to Airservices Australia. But both share information on safety issues, and I have that in writing. Did not the ATSB, in writing their measly 4 page report on the 2014 event, feel fit to include the similar nature of the 2013 case? I am submitting an urgent Freedom of Information request to Airservices Australia for details of the 2013 event. If I find out that it occurred over a similar location above Perth, and the authorities are brushing this extraordinary issue aside, then it they really are not doing the job they are mandated to; and it will be absurd of them to pretend otherwise when they try.
Once again, Keith Basterfield linked the two events from my FOI-obtained documents. There may be dozens more incidents like this. Give us two or three months and we'll find more.
Continue Reading . . .
See Also:
Near Collision Between Passenger Plane and UFO | Final Report
Near UFO / Plane Collision – Perth Airport, Australia | OFFICIAL REPORT
Perth Near Miss with UFO (2014); Earlier Incidents Located
Near Collison with Plane & UFO – Report Released
REPORT YOUR UFO EXPERIENCE