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Correcting the record - Inaccurate reporting on the completion of ATSB investigations by the ABC 7.30
08/03/2017: A story on ABC’s 7.30 program (7 March 2017) and an article on the ABC news website, “Air safety watchdog clearly failing”, contains inaccurate and misleading claims that require correction. Firstly, the reports quote Mr Neil Hansford as saying: "Until a case is resolved, there can be no remedial action taken by the relevant authorities, CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) or the Department of Transport or even private airport operators." In fact, the ATSB does not wait for an investigation to be completed to bring safety matters to the attention of operators and authorities.…
Loss of control on landing involving a Cessna 185D, Private airstrip near Louth, New South Wales, on 28 February 2026
AB-2026-015
ATSB publishes Heck Field RV-8A accident preliminary report
Video and audio from separate CCTV cameras will be analysed as part of the evidence gathered during the ATSB’s ongoing investigation of a light aircraft accident near Heck Field in South East…
Power loss and forced landing involving Cessna 441, VH-LBZ, 3.6 km east of Broome Airport, Western Australia, on 19 March 2026
Broome Airport, Western Australia, Truscott-Mungalalu Aerodrome, Western Australia, 441, 4410038, Turboprop, VH-LBZ, Part 135 Air transport operations - smaller aeroplanes, Substantial, Cessna Aircraft Company, Skippers Aviation Pty Ltd
AO-2026-068
R44 successful forced landing after engine failure due to connecting rod separation
A Robinson R44 helicopter pilot’s timely actions in conducting a forced landing after a connecting rod separated from the crankshaft while in flight near Tindal in the Northern Territory…
Power lever friction lock adjustment
AO-2021-034
Safety advisory notice To King Air series aircraft operators and pilots Friction locks fitted on the Beechcraft King Air series aircraft require careful adjustment to prevent the power levers migrating rearwards to the idle position, particularly during take-off. What happened On the night of 19 August 2021, the pilot and medical crew of a Hawker Beechcraft King Air B200C aircraft, registered VH‑VAH, departed Essendon Fields Airport, Victoria on a patient retrieval flight. During the take-off, there was a loss of left engine power and…
Lack of effective risk controls prior to Blacktown rail overspeed event
Expectation bias and a lack of effective risk controls contributed to a passenger train travelling through a turnout near Blacktown Station at four times faster than the posted speed limit, a…
Broome Cessna Conquest accident
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has commenced a transport safety investigation into the accident involving a Cessna 441 Conquest twin turboprop aircraft near Broome Airport, in northern WA. As reported to the ATSB, shortly after the aircraft took off from Broome’s runway 10 it encountered a loss of engine power. The ATSB is deploying a team of transport safety investigators, specialising in aircraft operations and engineering, and accident survivability, to the accident site from its Perth, Canberra, and Brisbane offices. Once on site on Friday the investigation team will…
PA-28 lost electrical power, radio before close proximity incident with F-35 fighter jet
The pilot of a Piper PA-28 that flew into the path of two F-35 fighter jets while approaching to land at RAAF Base Tindal, in the Northern Territory, was unable to communicate with air…
Collision with tree involving GippsAero GA8 Airvan, VH-WSU, at Lindeman Island, Queensland, on 8 March 2026
Shute Harbour Aircraft Landing Area, Queensland, Lindeman Island Aircraft Landing Area, Queensland, GA8, GA8-17-244, Piston, VH-WSU, Part 135 Air transport operations - smaller aeroplanes, Substantial, Gippsland Aeronautics Pty Ltd, Wave Air
AO-2026-065