A grieving father has expressed his lack of resentment towards the individual convicted in connection with the tragic death of his son in a skydiving accident. Experienced instructor Stephen Hoare, aged 37, and his tandem passenger Alex Welling, aged 32, lost their lives at Goulburn Airport in New South Wales on June 27, 2021, when their skydiving equipment became entangled with a newly installed step on a Cessna aircraft. The two plunged roughly 100 metres to the ground, resulting in a devastating loss for their families.
In March of this year, the Goulburn Flight Training Centre and its director, Attilio Giovanni Ferrara, were found guilty in the NSW District Court of breaching safety regulations. Judge Andrew Scotting described the step as an “obvious and dangerous snag hazard”, underlining the negligence that contributed to the accident.
During a recent sentencing hearing, Frank Hoare, Stephen’s father, addressed Ferrara from across the courtroom, stating that he harboured “no animosity” towards him or the pilot who installed the step. Emphasising the absence of intent, Hoare acknowledged the heart-wrenching void left in his life since his son’s passing. He articulated profound grief, noting, “Every day since his death has been filled with a silence that should not exist and a grief that does not lessen with time.”
The lengthy, almost five-year wait for answers regarding the accident felt like a dismissal of the personal tragedy endured by the families involved. Hoare’s hopes lie in this tragedy prompting significant improvements in safety standards within the skydiving industry, and he is advocating for an inquest by the state coroner to ensure formal safety recommendations are established.
The court heard compelling evidence during the trial, including a GoPro video capturing Welling smiling as they prepared to jump, only for their gear to latch onto the protruding step. In a desperate attempt to free both men, the pilot conducted low-level manoeuvres near the airport, while ground staff tried to intervene, but tragically, they fell when the plane regained altitude.
In Ferrara’s affidavit read to the court, he extended a heartfelt apology to the families. Judge Scotting also conveyed his condolences, revealing a personal connection to grief, having lost his sister under tragic circumstances. Sentencing for Ferrara is scheduled for April 17.
The aftermath of this incident raises urgent questions about safety in the skydiving sector, with the hope that lessons learnt will prevent future tragedies.