The rupture of an oxygen cylinder on board a Qantas Boeing 747 was a unique event and highly unlikely to happen again according to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). On 25 July 2008, an oxygen cylinder ruptured in the plane's forward cargo hold about an hour into a flight from Hong Kong to Melbourne. Part of the ruptured cylinder punctured the fuselage wall and damaged the cabin, causing the plane to rapidly depressurise. The plane then made an emergency descent and landed at the nearest suitable airport in Manila, Philippines. None of the 369 passengers and crew on board were…

The ATSB has commenced an investigation into an aircraft accident involving a Cessna 172 that occurred about 110 km south of Broken Hill in NSW. The aircraft was reported missing on Monday, 21 June after it departed from Woolcunda Station in NSW earlier that day. It was found by search and rescue crews this morning, partially submerged in a lake. The status of the pilot, the only person on board, is not yet known. NSW Police are travelling to the scene. The ATSB has dispatched four investigators to the accident site. They expect to be at the site for…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) today released its final investigation report into the 9 September 2009 collision between the Australian registered yacht Ella's Pink Lady and the Hong Kong registered bulk carrier Silver Yang off Point Lookout, Queensland. The ATSB investigation found that when the two vessels collided, neither the yacht's skipper nor the ship's watch keepers were keeping a proper lookout, nor were they appropriately using navigational aids to manage the risk of collision. The investigation also found that following the…

The ATSB is investigating an accident involving a Piper PA-31P aircraft that occurred at Canley Heights in NSW this morning.   It was reported that the aircraft had two people on board and had departed from Bankstown Aerodrome in NSW.   The pilot reported to air traffic control that the aircraft had sustained an engine problem would be returning to Bankstown. Shortly after the aircraft collided with the ground and caught fire in the vicinity of Canley Vale Road and Sackville Roads, Canley Vale Heights.…

A new report released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) today highlights ways to manage the risks posed by birds hitting aircraft. The report also reveals that the reported number of aircraft hitting birds (or 'birdstrikes') in Australia has steadily increased over the past eight years. The report, which provides aviation birdstrike and animal strike occurrence data between January 2002 and December 2009, shows that in 2009…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) today released the preliminary factual report into the 15 June 2010 aircraft accident that killed a pilot and a flight nurse in Canley Vale, NSW. The report presents the facts of the accident gathered by the ATSB's initial investigation. The investigation is continuing. The ATSB will examine the recovered aircraft components, maintenance records and operational issues. Investigators will also review the operator's flight crew training records and conduct further analysis…

On Friday 5 March 2010, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) will hold a media conference to accompany the release of its final investigation report into a mishandled go-around procedure, involving an Airbus A320-232 passenger aircraft (registered VH-VQT). The incident occurred during a landing attempt at Melbourne airport on 21 July 2007, following a scheduled flight from Christchurch, New Zealand. The ATSB's Chief Commissioner, Mr Martin Dolan, and Team Leader, Aviation Safety Investigations, Mr Joe Hattley, will discuss the…

An aircraft operator has changed its operating procedures following a go-around during an attempted landing at Melbourne in July 2007. The aircraft manufacturer has also revised some of its procedures for the aircraft type. A passenger aircraft had attempted to land at Melbourne airport in fog, but abandoned the landing due to low visibility. During the go-around, the aircraft descended to within 38 feet of the ground before climbing. An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation Report, released today,…

The ATSB has recovered the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, or 'black boxes' from the Embraer 120 Brasilia aircraft that crashed at Darwin Airport, Northern Territory on Monday 22 March 2010. The recorders have been transported to the ATSB's technical facilities in Canberra for analysis. The ATSB investigation team is currently at the accident site examining and recording the on‑site physical evidence, interviewing witnesses and other involved parties, and examining the available third-party recordings and documentation. The team is expected to complete the on-site phase of the…

On Thursday 15 April, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) will hold a media conference to accompany the release of its preliminary factual report into the grounding of the Shen Neng 1 off the Queensland coast. ATSB Chief Commissioner Mr Martin Dolan will discuss the findings of the preliminary report. Where: 62 Northbourne Avenue, Canberra City ACT (ATSB Central Office) Time: 10.30am (AEST) The report will be available via the ATSB website (atsb.gov.au) at 10.30am on…