Technical assistance to NSW Police Service - recovery of data from aircraft instrumentation after collision with terrain - Super Petrel amphibious aircraft, 24-7654, Lake Jindabyne, New South Wales, on 24 June 2011

On 24 June 2011, a Super Petrel amphibious aircraft, registered 24-7654, was being operated on a private flight with the pilot and one passenger on-board. While operating over Lake Jindabyne, New South Wales (NSW), witnesses observed the aircraft to depart from controlled flight and impact the lake surface. The aircraft was destroyed by the forces of the collision and the two occupants were fatally injured.

The NSW Police Service are investigating this occurrence. Following recovery of the aircraft wreckage, officers requested assistance from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) in the recovery of data from the aircraft's electronic flight instrumentation systems (EFIS). To protect the information supplied by the NSW Police Service to the ATSB and investigative work undertaken to assist the police service, the ATSB initiated an investigation under the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003.

The EFIS was sent to the ATSB's technical facilities in Canberra for examination. The examination established the existence of relevant data on the EFIS and a download procedure was developed and tested successfully.

On 24 November 2011, a technical specialist from the ATSB attended the Cooma Police Station and provided assistance and guidance to the police in their download of the EFIS equipment. The data was successfully recovered and was retained by the police service.

______________

Released in accordance with section 25 of the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003.