Investigators release images from moment planes crashed over Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay, resulting in two deaths

Recorded images show the moment the Viper S-211 Marchetti light aircraft crashed over Port Phillip Bay, resulting in the deaths of pilot Stephen Gale and camera operator James Rose Photograph: Australian Transport Safety Bureau/Commonwealth of Australia

Cameras captured the moment two military-style jets collided while performing an aerobatic manoeuvre over Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay, claiming the lives of two men.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) preliminary report into the 19 November crash was released on Wednesday, along with a re-enactment of the events leading up to the collision and still images taken from footage captured by the surviving jet.

The report states the two Viper S-211 Marchetti light aircraft departed Essendon Fields Airport at 1.24pm with the intention of filming over Port Phillip Bay.

Viper 1 was the lead aircraft carrying a pilot and safety pilot, while Viper 2 had pilot Stephen Gale, 56, and camera operator James Rose, 30, on board.

According to the report, Gale “advised that passing underneath Viper 1 provided a good filming opportunity and requested to repeat the manoeuvre”.

But on this attempt, the ATSB said the right wings of each aircraft collided as Viper 2 passed beneath Viper 1 as it flew inverted.

Recorded images from Viper 1 of a mid-air collision with Viper 2 over Port Phillip Bay. Photograph: Australian Transport Safety Bureau/Commonwealth of Australia

After the collision, Viper 2 kept climbing and passed above Viper 1 before inverting and then moving into a “near vertical, nose-down flight path toward the water and commenced a slow right roll until impacting the water at high speed”.

Both Gale and Rose died.

The ATSB said their aircraft was later discovered on the floor of Port Phillip Bay “extensively damaged”.

The two pilots in Viper 1 said they felt the collision but did not see it. Once the pilot rolled the plane back upright, they assessed that the aircraft was controllable and began attempting to contact Gale. No response was received.

The pilot observed a splash mark and debris from Viper 2 on the water’s surface and issued the mayday call. The duo managed to land safely at Essendon Fields at 1.49pm.

The ATSB said neither aircraft was fitted with a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder, nor were they required to. There were, however, four cameras fitted to Viper 1, of which three recorded video and audio during the flight.

Damage on the right wing of Viper 1 (left) with an overlay representing the wing of Viper 2 (right) after the two planes collided in Port Phillip Bay. Photograph: Australian Transport Safety Bureau/Commonwealth of Australia

Gale, a highly experienced flyer, owned Jetworks Aviation, an Essendon Fields-based business created for a TV documentary called Any Fool Can Fly.

Rose, a talented drone operator, worked on high-profile TV shows, including for the Nine Network, Seven Network and production company EndemolShine, which produces MasterChef.

A final report will be released at the end of the ATSB’s investigation.