Two light aircraft came dangerously close to each other over Melbourne’s CBD in an incident that has prompted renewed attention to pilot separation and situational awareness in busy controlled airspace.

The incident involved a Cessna 172 carrying a flight instructor and student pilot and a Cirrus SR22 carrying a pilot and three passengers. Both aircraft had been cleared to conduct an orbit over Melbourne’s CBD at an altitude of 2,100 feet on the evening of 22 January 2026. They were operating under night visual flight rules.

According to the investigation findings released on 15 September 2026, air traffic control had instructed the Cirrus pilot to follow the slower Cessna. The Cirrus pilot reported seeing the Cessna and indicated that the aircraft would slow down. However, the Cirrus remained significantly faster, causing the distance between the two aircraft to steadily decrease.

The situation became particularly serious after the Cessna began leaving its orbit while the Cirrus continued turning. At that point, the Cirrus was travelling at a groundspeed of about 146 knots, compared with approximately 86 knots for the Cessna.

The student and instructor aboard the Cessna then saw the Cirrus behind the aircraft's left-wing strut and believed it was heading directly toward them. The instructor took control while the Cirrus pilot also recognised that the two aircraft were potentially on a collision course.

The Cirrus pilot responded by pitching the aircraft down and descending from 2,100 feet. The Cessna instructor subsequently initiated a brief climb after observing the avoiding action. The two aircraft ultimately passed approximately 46 metres horizontally and 99 feet vertically apart.

No collision occurred and there were no reported injuries, but the encounter demonstrated how quickly separation can deteriorate when aircraft with different speeds are operating in the same area.

The investigation found that the Cirrus pilot did not maintain adequate spacing behind the slower Cessna. Although traffic information had been provided by air traffic control and the Cirrus was equipped with a traffic advisory system, the aircraft's speed was not reduced sufficiently to maintain safe spacing.

The incident also highlights the shared responsibility involved when aircraft operate under visual flight rules. While the airspace over Melbourne's CBD is controlled and pilots require clearance to conduct the city orbit, responsibility for maintaining separation between aircraft remains with the pilot in command under the relevant operating conditions.

Safety investigators have stressed the importance of continuously assessing nearby traffic and responding quickly when the actual situation differs from what a pilot expects. Timely changes in speed, direction or altitude can be critical in preventing a developing conflict from becoming a collision.

The findings provide an important reminder about the complexity of aircraft operations above Melbourne's busy CBD, where multiple aircraft may operate within a relatively confined area.

For pilots, the incident reinforces the need to maintain appropriate spacing, carefully follow clearances and continuously monitor surrounding traffic. The investigation also demonstrates how a combination of pilot awareness, timely avoiding action and available traffic information can prevent a potentially serious aviation accident.