The ambitious plane trick that turned fatal at Port Phillip Bay revealed

The complex trick that killed a pilot and cameraman has been revealed as part of an investigation into the fatal plane collision at Port Phillip Bay.

Two fighter jets were performing an unplanned repeat of an aerobatic routine when they collided mid-air, killing a pilot and cameraman.

Jetworks Aviation pilot Stephen Gale, 56, and cameraman James Rose, 30, died on November 19 after their military jet collided with a second jet mid-air while filming a documentary over Port Phillip Bay.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau on Wednesday released the first details about what caused the crash, finding that the wings of each Marchetti S211 jet collided with one another when the two aircraft were trying to repeat a complicated trick.

The first two routines were completed without incident, and the second move involved Mr Gale’s jet flying underneath Viper One before flying up and to the left.

Mr Gale had asked the pilot of the other plane if each aircraft could perform the second move again because “passing underneath Viper 1 provided a good filming opportunity”.

During the repeated attempt, the jets collided when Mr Gale’s aircraft flew upwards and to the left of Viper 1, which had on board veteran Qantas pilot Joanne Mein.

Viper 2 (orange) begins moving beneath an inverted Viper 1. Picture: ATSB

The moment the wings of the two jets collide. Picture ATSB

Viper Two immediately after the collision. Picture: ATSB

The Viper 1 jet reported a “mayday” before arriving back at Essendon Airport just before 1.50pm.

The impact caused Mr Gale’s and Mr Rose’s plan to nose-dive at rapid speed into the water.

“Witnesses observed Viper 2 impact the water in a near-vertical, nose down attitude at high speed,” the report stated.

Search and rescue crews could not find the jet’s wings and tail when they recovered the body of the plane, which landed on the floor of Port Phillip Bay 24m underwater.

The report found that ejectable seats fitted in each jet were disabled on the day of the fatal flight.

ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said the preliminary report only contained factual information that had been gathered during the investigation’s early stages.

“Today’s preliminary report provides factual information from the early evidence-gathering phase of our no-blame transport safety investigation,” he said.

Chilling images have captured the final moments before a fighter jet carrying a pilot and cameraman died when their plane crashed into Port Phillip Bay.

Footage taken from cameras inside Viper one captured the collision, during which the “outer right wing structure of Viper 2 immediately failed”.

Each pilot was qualified to fly the jets and perform complex aerobics routines, but the pilot of the plane that flew back to the airport had just 10.8 hours of experience flying that exact jet.

He also had a restricted licence that meant he had to fly with a safety pilot who was on board his aircraft.

James Rose and Stephen Gale were killed in a plane crash over Port Phillip Bay. Picture: Supplied

Mr Gale had spent 489 hours flying S-211 jets.

His plane carrying Mr Rose had several cameras mounted, as well as a camera that Mr Rose was holding during the flight, but investigators could not recover any of those after the crash.

The initial report found Mr Gale had completed almost 500 flying hours in the S-211 jet and had experience in formation flying and aerobatics.

Meanwhile, the other pilot had just 10.8 hours’ experience in flying the same jet.

Further probes into the fatal crash will scrutinise flying regulations, including rules that require pilots with medical restrictions to have a second safety pilot on board.

It will also involve combing through additional video and audio captured on board Viper one, and checking the jets’ maintenance records.

A final report will be released at a later date.