At the request of the Malaysian Government, Australia accepted responsibility for the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. After the conclusion of the surface search, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) led the underwater search for MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean. Each week, from 10 September 2014 to 11 January 2017, an operational update was published, tracking the progress of the search effort and identifying noteworthy developments. At a meeting of Ministers from Malaysia, Australia and the People’s Republic of China held on 22 July 2016, it was agreed that…

Safety concern The ATSB continues to investigate accidents—many fatal—that involve pilots flying with reduced visual references. Under visual flight rules (VFR), it is crucial that pilots have sufficient visual reference to see and avoid obstacles. Visual cues are also required to maintain orientation so VFR pilots know which way is up and can maintain control of their aircraft. Visual reference can be reduced by cloud, darkness, or atmospheric conditions such as rain, fog, smoke or haze. Two main risks are associated with flying in limited visibility: loss of orientation, leading to loss…

The following factsheets provide useful background information on the operational search for MH370. MH370 – drift analysis: Trajectories of Global Drifter Program drifters – 9 September 2015 (Article by Dr David Griffin of CSIRO) MH370: Aircraft Debris and Drift Modelling - 4 August 2015 MH370: Sonar Contacts Fact Sheet - 29 July 2015 Considerations on defining the search area – MH370 – 26 May 2014 Mapping the ocean floor — Bathymetric survey - MH370 – 26 May 2014 The intensified underwater search for MH370 - 26 May 2014 MH370: Bathymetric Survey Fact Sheet - 10 September 2014 MH370:…

ACARS Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System. Acc Rep Accredited representative. In accordance with Annex 13, the ATSB may assist other overseas agencies in the investigation of accidents and serious incidents that do not involve Australian registered aircraft. In these cases an ATSB investigator would be appointed to the investigation as an accredited representative. On 1 April 2014 the ATSB appointed an accredited representative to the MH370 investigation, at the request of the Malaysian Government. ADF Australian Defence Force. AFP Australian Federal Police. Airspace Any…

On 8 March 2014, the Boeing 777-200ER aircraft registered as Malaysia Airlines 9M-MRO and operating as flight MH370 (MH370) disappeared from air traffic control radar after taking off from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on a scheduled passenger service to Beijing, China with 227 passengers and 12 crew on board. After analysis of satellite data it was discovered that MH370 continued to fly for over six hours after contact was lost. All the available data indicates the aircraft entered the sea close to a long but narrow arc of the southern Indian Ocean. On 31 March 2014, following an extensive sea and…

The ATSB encourages constructive feedback.

ATSB occurrence category taxonomy  The ATSB uses an occurrence category taxonomy to efficiently and consistently categorise and code transport safety occurrences. These occurrence categories can be used to search through occurrences in the ATSB’s National Aviation Occurrence Database.  A guiding principle behind the ATSB’s occurrence category taxonomy is that a relatively simple coding scheme greatly increases the quality of the data that is recorded in the occurrence database. The taxonomy follows a data-driven approach in that a particular occurrence category is only included in…

The Public Interest Disclosure (PID) scheme builds on existing policies and procedures to protect public officials (including current and former APS employees, people exercising powers under a Commonwealth law and contracted service providers) who speak up and ‘blow the whistle’ on suspected wrongdoing by public officials. The PID scheme provides a transparent process for agencies and government departments to investigate complaints. The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 (PID Act) underpins the operation of the scheme. The PID Act aims…

ACAS /TCAS Airborne or Traffic Collision Avoidance System. These will have a further descriptor of 'RA' - Resolution Advisory or 'TA' - Traffic Advisory ADS-B/C Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast / Contract AGL Above Ground Level AHRS Attitude & Heading Reference System AMSL Above Mean Sea Level APU Auxiliary Power Unit ATC Air Traffic Control ATIS Automatic Terminal Information Service  CPDLC Controller Pilot Data Link Communications CTA Control Area CTAF Common Traffic Advisory Frequency CTR Control Zone DME Distance Measuring Equipment ECAM…

This database allows you to search for accidents and incidents that have been reported to the ATSB since 1 July 2003. You can search the database using a time period, location, type of occurrence (i.e. what happened), and type of aircraft.   Take me to Detailed Data