Push to shut Moorabbin Airport after fatal plane crash in Scarlett St, Mordialloc
WITH more than 25 accidents around Moorabbin Airport since 2006 — including Friday’s fatal crash — locals say it’s time to act. Do you think the airport should be shut down? Take our poll.
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FRIGHTENED residents are calling for action on Moorabbin Airport after a fiery, fatal plane crash in their suburban street — the second incident in eight years.
The single-engine plane just missed homes in Scarlett St, Mordialloc, when it came down about 5pm on Friday.
The sole occupant, a 50-year-old pilot from Mt Martha, was killed.
DAD PRAISED FOR SELFLESS FINAL MOMENTS BEFORE CRASH
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Australian Transport Safety Bureau statistics reveal there were 26 accidents, 1,111 incidents and 46 serious incidents within 25km of Moorabbin Airport between 2006 and 2015.
The Cessna 172 crashed in front of Vlad Wassileff’s house, who was home with his wife, 11-month-old daughter and mother in law.
“It was like a bomb went off,” he said. “We’re all very lucky.”
Sonia Anioniou, who has lived in Scarlet St for 40 years, said it was time for the airport to go.
“We are so sick of worrying about a plane coming down, it’s just too dangerous,” she said.
Melissa Johnstone told the Leader she feared for the schools close to the airport.
“I have three children who attend Parkdale Secondary College, which was not far from where this happened,” she said.
“If a place crashed into a school it could be catastrophic!
“I know how often these planes crash, as my father died in a Cessna crash in 2001.
“They will generally crash during takeoff or landing.
“This pilot tried to get back to the airport, which put this area in danger.”
Brian Colbey said the possibility of a crash was in the back of his mind “every time (planes) fly over”. “There are a lot of beautiful young families in this street and many would now be thinking about moving,” he said.
David Trotter, who lives just metres from the crash site, said the area had changed dramatically since the airport was built and the number of beginner pilots training at the airport should be restricted.
“When they built that airport, there were no homes here, the suburb of Dingley didn’t exist,” he said.
One man, who recently sold his Scarlett St house, posted on Facebook that it was time to move the airport. “I hope (this) tragic accident will be good reason to be able to relocate the airport to somewhere else away from the residential area,” he posted.
The crash was the second in the area this decade with two people walking from the wreckage of their Cessna after it plummeted into the backyard of a house on the corner of Scarlett St and Lower Dandenong Rd on August 7, 2010.
Early that year a 72-year-old pilot was trying to land at Moorabbin when the plane clipped trees and landed at nearby Capital Golf Club.
And a trainee pilot died in August 2008, when his plane crashed, narrowly missing Cheltenham East Primary School.
In February last year aviation experts warned of the dangers of cramming commercial buildings on to airport land in the wake of the deadly DFO crash.
And in May 2017, Kingston councillors asked the Government to review the Moorabbin Airport Masterplan with a view to minimising risks to pilots and surrounding residents by halting non-aviation, non-green wedge compliant development.