Safety concern Navigation through confined waters under pilotage is a high-pressure situation where errors can easily lead to serious incidents.  What can you do? The clear and open exchange of information between the ship’s master and crew and the pilot is vital, both during the pilotage passage and before it even commences. This helps to ensure that all members of the bridge team have a shared mental model of the pilotage passage and, as a result, a good understanding of how it should proceed.  This pre-passage information exchange should always include:  the courses or…

Safety concern R44 helicopters with all-aluminium fuel tanks have proven susceptible to post-accident fuel leaks increasing the risk of a potentially fatal post-impact fire following a collision with terrain.  What can you do? The manufacturer has issued a Service Bulletin SB-78B requiring R44 helicopters with all-aluminium fuel tanks be retrofitted with bladder-type tanks as soon as practical, but no later than 30 April 2013. The ATSB urges all operators and owners of R44 helicopters fitted with all-aluminium fuel tanks to replace these tanks with bladder-type fuel tanks as detailed in…

Safety concern It is difficult for pilots to spot another aircraft through visual observation alone.  The ATSB often receives reports from pilots that another aircraft is flying too close to them in uncontrolled airspace. Not surprisingly, three quarters of these reports involve pilots flying within 10 nautical miles (18.5 kilometres) of a non-controlled aerodrome. Twice as many near-collisions are reported to the ATSB where pilots had no prior warning of other aircraft in…

Safety concern ATSB research reveals that accidents and incidents are not always reported to the ATSB when they should be. When something goes wrong in transport safety, it is the duty of a ‘responsible person’ (defined in the Transport Safety Investigation Regulations 2003) to report it to the ATSB.    ATSB on YouTube   What can you do? As the national transport safety investigator, the ATSB is the Australian Government agency you should notify in the event of an…

This stage of the consultation is now CLOSED. The new confidential Reporting regulations are in the process of being made, with persons or organisations that made submissions informed. Please refer back to the main Reporting consultation">consultation page for information about the proposed response to the consultation on mandatory Reporting. The ATSB is inviting comments on proposed…

ATSB supplements  January-February R22 drive belt concerns Pilot unknowingly affected by hypoxia Starved and exhausted Investigation briefs Non towered aerodromes an on-going concern REPCON briefs Download ATSB supplement (January-February 2012) [PDF: 1.3MB]   March-April Rare software glitch causes sudden pitch down Buckle up Potentially catastrophic data error Poor fuel management remains a safety risk - Is there enough left in the tank? Your notification improves safety, saves lives Investigation briefs REPCON briefs Download ATSB supplement (March-April 2012) [PDF: 1MB]…

The ATSB is inviting comments on proposed regulatory changes covering mandatory Reporting of accidents and incidents and confidential Reporting of safety concerns in Australia. The mandatory and confidential Reporting proposals are a part of the national rail safety reforms.  By 1 January 2013, Australia's railways are set to have a single national rail safety…

New confidential Reporting regulations and the International Casualty Investigation Code The ATSB is inviting comments on two proposed regulatory changes relating to: Confidential Reporting of maritime safety concerns ATSB use of the International Maritime Organization's Casualty Investigation Code  Your comments are sought by Friday, 27 July 2012. Confidential…

SafetyWatch is a set of broad safety concerns for the ATSB that have arisen from our investigation findings and from occurrence data reported to us by industry. These priorities highlight safety issues more broadly with the aim of raise heightened awareness from industry and public, and to help guide ATSB decision-making on investigations. Our current SafetyWatch concerns comprise  Reducing the collision risk around non-towered airports Reducing passenger injuries in…

This Plan is made for the purpose of the Information Publication Scheme required by the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act). Introduction The ATSB's function is to improve safety and public confidence in the aviation, marine and rail modes of transport through excellence in: independent investigation of transport accidents and other safety occurrences safety data recording, analysis and research …