Last night, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) was informed that a Cessna 206 aircraft had disappeared from radar near Cairns at approximately 6:51pm EST. The weather at the time was reported to be very poor, with low cloud, restricted visibility and heavy rain. It is believed that there were 2 persons on board the aircraft and search and rescue operation was commenced immediately.
This morning, Queensland police reported that one body and a small amount of aircraft wreckage had been recovered.
ATSB investigators, specialising in Air Traffic Control and operations are enroute to the accident site.
At approximately 0700 on Thursday 22 June, the Australian
Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) received a report of a possible
collision between and cargo ship and a fishing vessel off the north
coast of NSW in the early hours of 21 June.
A crew member of the fishing vessel was picked up last night
after spending 18 hours in a dingy. There is still one crew member
missing and AusSar have a search in progress using 6 helicopters
and 3 fixed wing aircraft. Some wreckage has been recovered.
The ATSB has sent 2 investigators to the north coast of NSW to
commence an investigation.
In accordance with ATSB procedures, all reports and
recommendations arising from this investigation will be scrutinised
by a review panel consisting of senior ATSB management.
Prior to the review panel's final scrutiny, the standard process
where Interested Parties have the opportunity to comment on the
draft report will occur to ensure fairness and accuracy.
As the wreckage of Whyalla Airlines flight 904 has now been located, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has engaged a South Australian company, which has a vessel with heavy lift capability, to recover the aircraft.
Depending on factors such as the weather, it is expected that the salvage operation would commence early on Friday 9 June.
Once the wreckage has been transported to a secure site a specialist examination will be undertaken to assist in establishing the airworthiness of the aircraft immediately prior to the accident. In addition, the crashworthiness of the aircraft, and its effect on the surviveability of its occupants will be examined.
Collection and analysis of other evidence associated with the accident continues.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has commenced an investigation into a reported High Profile incident where the crews of an A320 aircraft and a Boeing 767 took evasive action in response to a Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) Resolution Advisory when they were apparently cleared to fly at the same flight level in opposite directions.
The ATSB investigation team includes investigators with specialist Air Traffic Control and Human Performance skills.
One aspect of the investigation will involve the highly technical Australian Advanced Air Traffic System (TAAATS) environment, consequently it is appropriate that the team include investigators with specialist skills in that area. The investigator's skills were developed during employment with Airservices Australia in the development phase of TAAATS.
The team has been structured in such a manner as to ensure that any perceptions of a conflict of interest have been assessed and appropriate management processes applied.
In accordance with ATSB procedures, all reports and recommendations arising from this investigation will be scrutinised by a review panel consisting of Senior ATSB Management.
Prior to the review panel's final scrutiny, the standard process where Interested Parties have the opportunity to comment on the draft report will occur.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau tonight announced that, with great regret and after serious consideration, it is withdrawing Mr Bob Armstrong from the investigation into the Whyalla Airlines accident.
The ATSB values deeply its reputation for the highest standards of investigation. Mr Armstrong embodies these standards.
The ATSB's regret is that the appearance of a conflict of interest may have been created by unjust claims made in relation to his previous service -- perhaps 100 hours of flight time -- with Whyalla Airlines over the period 1995-97.
Mr Armstrong was open and up-front with Bureau management and with other parties to the investigation, including the South Australian police, about this period of limited service. Nothing more could have been asked of him.
Bureau management took the matter seriously, and considered how best to ensure that no reasonable query could be made against the investigation team. We settled upon the addition of a more senior investigator to oversight the inquiry. Of substantial significance in this decision was the impossible restriction that would apply to investigations if, for example, this principle extended to ex-Airservices Australia employees, requiring us to bar any ex-Airservices employee from investigating air traffic control incidents. As there is only one employer of civilian air traffic services officers in Australia, a perpetual scope for conflict exists.
However, given that the appearance of a conflict has been raised in this case, and given that the Bureau necessarily accords absolute primacy to the integrity and independence of its investigation, the ATSB has withdrawn Mr Armstrong.
The Bureau will in future make public to all media at the outset of its investigations whether an investigator has any apparent conflict. It will not, however, withdraw officers if the conflict is -- as it was in this case -- judged to be marginal at best.
As a further step to establishing what led to the crash of Whyalla Airlines flight 904 last Wednesday 31 May, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and the South Australia Police are arranging to salvage the wreckage of the Piper Chieftain from Spencer Gulf.
Although only one facet of the investigation, specialist examination of the wreckage is important to assist in establishing the airworthiness of the aircraft immediately prior to the accident. In addition, the crashworthiness of the aircraft, and its effect on the surviveability of its occupants will be examined.
In the meantime, collection and analysis of other evidence associated with the accident continues.
The pilot of a twin-engine Cessna 310 reported a landing gear problem to Canberra Airport tower following take-off on Sunday 13 February 2000. During the ensuing landing the aircraft nose gear collapsed.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is waiting for further information on the crash of a Cessna 206 in the ocean off South Australia yesterday.
Mr Kym Bills, Executive Director of the Australia Transport Safety Bureau said that the aircraft's wreckage has not yet been discovered.
'At this stage we are making preliminary inquiries, and we won't know the extent and direction of further investigations until we have more information', Mr Bills said.
Last night, 31st May 2000, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) was notified that the crew of a Piper Navajo Chieftain, registered VH-MZK, enroute Adelaide to Whyalla had initiated a distress call indicating engine failure.
Reportedly, there were eight persons on board the aircraft.
A Royal Australian Air Force aircraft in the area initiated an immediate search for the aircraft.
At 6.00am this morning, 1 June 2000, Australian Search and Rescue confirmed with the Bureau that wreckage from the aircraft has been located.
The ATSB has dispatched a team of three investigators specialising in operations, air traffic services and engineering to investigate the occurrence.
Occurrence Briefs are concise reports that detail the facts surrounding a transport safety occurrence, as received in the initial notification and any follow-up enquiries. They provide an opportunity to share safety messages in the absence of an investigation.
What happened
On 30 July 2022, at about 1632 local time, the pilot of a Bell 206L LongRanger was relocating the helicopter from the fuel bowser to the operator’s parking area on the north-east side of a hangar at Newman Airport, Western Australia.
While lining up with marking aids on the taxiway, the pilot directed their attention towards a nearby parked helicopter to the right to ensure adequate clearance from the Bell 206L’s main rotor blade. As the pilot moved the 206L forward into the parking bay, there was a loud bang. The pilot reported there was no loss of control or abnormal movement after the sound and continued to land and shut down the helicopter without further incident.
During the post-flight inspection, it was identified that one main rotor blade had contacted the end of the gantry which supports the sliding doors of the hangar (Figure 1). The helicopter sustained minor damage to the rotor blade tip cap spanning about 10 cm (Figure 2).
Figure 1: Damage to hangar gantry
Source: Operator, annotated by the ATSB
Figure 2: Damage to main rotor blade
Source: Operator
Safety action
The operator has advised that it suspended helicopter operations around the apron area where the incident occurred, pending the outcomes of an internal investigation into the incident.
The operator will also review the risk analysis of the apron parking in the vicinity of the hangar and assess the current helicopter parking configuration.
Safety message
The FAA helicopter flying handbook[1](2022) advises that when taxiing near hangars or obstructions, the distance between the rotor blade tips and obstructions is difficult to judge.
To reduce collision risk, operators should consider human limitations in assessing the hazards and ensure crews maintain situational awareness of the aircraft’s established safe distance for separation from all objects during taxi.
Risk assessments on apron parking areas should be reviewed periodically to re-evaluate risks and mitigations.
About this report
Decisions regarding whether to conduct an investigation, and the scope of an investigation, are based on many factors, including the level of safety benefit likely to be obtained from an investigation. For this occurrence, no investigation has been conducted and the ATSB did not verify the accuracy of the information. A brief description has been written using information supplied in the notification and any follow-up information in order to produce a short summary report and allow for greater industry awareness of potential safety issues and possible safety actions.
