On 22 Jan 2002, A Schweizer 333 helicopter, registered A2-HDB, crashed at Gaborone Airport in Botswana, killing the pilot, who was an Australian citizen. The Republic of Botswana Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) initiated an investigation into the accident.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) was notified of the accident in 2005 and appointed an expert under the provisions of clause 5.27 of Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. To protect information supplied by the Botswana DCA to the ATSB and investigative work undertaken to assist the Botswana DCA, the ATSB initiated an investigation under the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003. A copy of a draft report was sent to the ATSB for review and comment in February 2008. The ATSB provided comments to the Botswana DCA on 20 February 2008.

The Botswana DCA is responsible for releasing a final investigation report regarding this accident. Once completed, a copy of the report can be requested from the Botswana DCA at the following address:

Department of Civil Aviation
PO Box 250
Gaborone
Republic of Botswana

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

On 21 April 2008 a European Airwings Springbok aircraft suffered a loss of engine power which led to a forced landing being carried out near Levroux, France. There were no injuries to the occupant and the aircraft was slightly damaged. The aircraft was fitted with an Australian manufactured Jabiru aero engine.

The Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses (BEA) of France is responsible for investigating this occurrence. The BEA requested assistance from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) in establishing a line of communication with the Australian engine manufacturer. The ATSB appointed an accredited representative in accordance with protocols established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, (ICAO), Annex 13 regarding accident and incident investigation.

Contact was made with Jabiru and copies of correspondence were provided to the BEA. On 24 November 2008 the BEA advised that their investigation had been completed.

Accident reports published by the BEA may be found on the Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses (BEA) website.

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

On 5 November 2008 at about 1838 Eastern Standard Time1, the flight crew of a Saab Aircraft AB 340B, registered VH-UYI, identified an incipient stall while flying a holding pattern in icing conditions. The aircraft's stall warning system did not activate. The pilot in command disconnected the autopilot and recovered the aircraft from the stall. During the recovery manoeuvre, both engines exceeded their maximum continuous operating temperature for an extended period. The manufacturer's Aircraft Operating Manual stated that the Saab 340B stall warning system had an activation level designed for a clean wing only. The manufacturer has issued updated operating procedures for flight in icing conditions, designed to prevent ice build-up on the airframe.

On 26 December 2008, a Bombardier Inc DHC-8-315 (DHC8), registered VH-TQL, was conducting a regular public transport flight from Moree to Sydney Aerodrome, New South Wales. While on final approach, and after capturing the glideslope for the runway 34 Left (34L) instrument landing system approach, the autopilot commanded the aircraft to descend. This prompted the crew to make a number of configuration changes in an effort to continue the approach. Those changes destabilised the aircraft and diminished its performance, which lead to the activation of the aircraft's stickshaker. Shortly after, a missed approach was commenced by the flight crew.

In this occurrence, the crew continued the approach despite becoming aware of the unstable aircraft state. Positive action to avoid a stickshaker event could have been taken if the crew communicated to each other the inappropriate aircraft configuration as it progressed along the approach.

As a result of this occurrence, the operator has proactively implemented changes to its DHC-8 training syllabus, highlighted to its crews the destabilising effects of changes to an aircraft's configuration during an approach and emphasised to crews the importance of good communication in a multi-crew environment.

On 25 December 2008, at about 0845 Eastern Daylight-saving Time, a Cessna Aircraft Company 172M aircraft, registered VH-ROO, struck a powerline that was located on a property at Kernot, 25 km north-west of Leongatha Aerodrome, Vic.

The aircraft impacted the ground about 100 m from the powerline and caught fire. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured.

Examination of the wreckage did not identify any mechanical defects that would have affected the safe operation of the aircraft.

At about 1145 Eastern Daylight-saving Time, the pilot of a PZL-M18A Dromader aircraft, registered VH-IGT, took off from a road on a property 58 km south-west of Nyngan, NSW. About 10 minutes later, the outboard section of the right wing separated from the aircraft and the aircraft impacted the ground. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured.

Preliminary Report Relaesed 24 February 2009

On 18 December 2008, a Cessna 152 aircraft and a Liberty XL2 aircraft collided in midair over Casula, NSW, in the proximity of the 2RN reporting point, south-west of Bankstown Airport. The Liberty remained flyable and landed at Bankstown approximately 6 minutes later, while the Cessna descended to the ground and was destroyed. Both occupants of the Cessna were fatally injured.

On 17 December 2008, a Boeing Company 737-4MO aircraft, registered PK-GZJ, made a significant diversion around weather at night while en route to Darwin, Northern Territory from Denpasar, Indonesia. The aircraft was cleared to conduct the runway 11 very high frequency omnidirectional radio range (VOR) approach via the initial approach fix NASUX. After the weather diversion, it was more convenient for the flight crew to make a pilot intercept of the 285 radial from the VOR but there was a period of misunderstanding as a result of a breakdown in the application of standard radiotelephony readbacks.

The flight crew left the previously-cleared altitude of 3,000 ft on descent although they had not been cleared to do so. When this became apparent, no updated clearance for a pilot intercept of the 285 radial was issued by the controller. The aircraft continued to descend on the basis of the runway 11 VOR descent profile, even though it was not conducting the runway 11 VOR approach.

The flight crew used the position calculated by the aircraft's inertial reference system (IRS) to intercept the 285 radial, instead of using the signal from the VOR. The IRS position was not accurate enough for this, and the aircraft tracked to outside of the stipulated 5 degrees tolerance either side of the 285 radial. From then on, the aircraft was no longer 'established' on the 285 radial even though it was below the minimum sector altitude in cloud. When it broke through the cloud, the aircraft was clearly not aligned with the runway and a missed approach was carried out.

The investigation did not identify any organisational or systemic issues that might adversely affect the future safety of aviation operations. However, in response to the occurrence, the aircraft operator developed a corrective action plan that addressed a number of crew resource management and non-precision approach training aspects to the event.

On 3 November 2008, a SAAB Aircraft Company 340B-229 (SAAB), registered VH-ORX, was conducting a regular public transport flight from Orange, NSW to Sydney. The crew reported that, at about 0724 Eastern Daylight-saving Time, when tracking to join a 7 NM (13 km) final for runway 34 Right (34R), a passenger sustained minor injuries following a possible wake turbulence event that resulted in a momentary loss of control of the aircraft.

Examination of the available radar, meteorological and aircraft operational data identified that the momentary upset probably resulted from wake turbulence, which was generated by an Airbus Industrie A380-800 (A380) that was conducting a parallel approach to runway 34 Left (34L). There was a 35 kt left crosswind affecting both aircraft's approaches.

Airservices Australia (Airservices) reported to the SAAB operator that, as a result of this incident, they had introduced a number of interim minor changes to Sydney parallel runway operational procedures during high crosswind conditions. Those minor changes would have effect while Airservices carried out a review of A380 operations. In addition, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority has opened a regulatory change project to review and update wake turbulence separation information in the Manual of Standards Part 172.

Preliminary report released 19 January 2009

At about 2026 Eastern Daylight-saving Time on 7 November 2008, a Piper Aircraft Corp PA-31-350 Chieftain, registered VH-OPC, collided with terrain. The aircraft was seriously damaged, and the four occupants were fatally injured.