The ATSB will host a special event Wednesday morning to unveil the propeller of a Supermarine Walrus aircraft generously donated by aviation legend Peter Lloyd, AC OBE MID. Peter will donate this significant piece of Australian aviation history at a ceremony in the foyer of ATSB headquarters at 11 am, AEST, Wednesday 26 April 2017. Attending the event will be: Peter Lloyd, AC OBE MID, President Emeritus and Life Member, Safeskies Australia Mike Mrdak AO, Secretary, Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development Greg Hood, Chief Commissioner, Australian Transport Safety Bureau…

ATSB Chief Commissioner Greg Hoods talks about the traffic management occurrence involving Airbus A320, VH-VQS and Beech Aircraft Corporation BE 76, VH-EWL at Ballina/Byron Gateway Airport, NSW on 14 January 2016. Your browser does not support the video tag. ATSB investigation AO-2016-003

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) today released its second interim report into an incident involving a Virgin Australia Regional Airlines ATR 72 aircraft near Sydney on 20 February 2014. During a flight from Canberra to Sydney, the aircraft sustained a 'pitch disconnect' while descending into Sydney. The pitch disconnect occurred when the two flight crew attempted to slow the aircraft down and inadvertently applied opposing control inputs (one pilot pushed the control at the same time the other pilot pulled), and resulted in significant damage to the aircraft's tail structure.…

A new report released by the CSIRO today further confirms the most likely location of MH370 is in the new search area identified by the First Principles Review, conducted in November last year. Dr David Griffin from the CSIRO said the new report features data and analysis from ocean testing of an actual Boeing 777 flaperon. “Testing an actual flaperon has added an extra level of assurance to the findings from our earlier drift modelling work,” said Dr David Griffin. “Earlier drift modelling was conducted using replicas of the flaperon found on La Reunion Island. Those replicas had been made…

ATSB Chief Commissioner Greg Hood and SA Police Superintendent James Blandford will provide an on-site media briefing at 11 am (ACST) Thursday, 1 June 2017, at the location of the Renmark aviation accident in South Australia. Three people died when a Cessna Conquest 441 aircraft, registered VH-XMJ, collided with terrain at 4.30 pm on Tuesday 30 May 2017. The accident occurred about 4 km west of the Renmark airport. The briefing will outline the known facts of the accident, the investigation team’s on-site activities and the investigation process. ATSB investigation AO-2017-057 Who:…

Today the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) released its report MH370 – First Principles Review and CSIRO’s supporting report The search for MH370 and ocean surface drift. The First Principles Review report summarises the outcomes of a meeting conducted in November and attended by Australian and international experts in data processing, satellite communications, accident investigation, aircraft performance, flight operations, sonar data, acoustic data and oceanography.   The purpose of the First Principles Review was to reassess and validate…

The ATSB will tomorrow (Wednesday 22 February 2017) conduct a media briefing on its investigation into the aircraft accident that occurred at Essendon Airport, Victoria. The ATSB’s Chief Commissioner, Mr Greg Hood will discuss factual information known to the ATSB at this time and will outline the investigation process. He will be joined by Victoria Police Superintendent Michael Frewen and Mr Chris Cowan, Essendon Fields CEO. The investigators are seeking witness reports that might assist the investigation. Witnesses can call the ATSB on 1800 020 616 or email ATSBinfo@atsb.gov.au Where: The…

The ATSB has today released a preliminary report into the in-flight propeller detachment involving a Regional Express SAAB 340 aircraft near Sydney Airport on 17 March 2017. The ATSB’s inspection of the aircraft identified that the propeller shaft fractured, leading to the separation of the propeller. An inspection of the propeller at the ATSB’s technical facilities in Canberra revealed a fatigue fracture that began in the propeller mounting flange (the part that attaches the propeller to the gearbox) and continued into the propeller shaft. The inspection also found corrosion near the…

The detached propeller from the Regional Express (REX) SAAB 340 was located by NSW Police at around noon today. The propeller was located by NSW Police helicopter PolAir1 in an area of bushland near Revesby in Sydney’s south-west. The ATSB is now working with NSW Police to recover the 100kg propeller assembly in preparation for examination. Since the propeller assembly detached from the engine on a flight from Albury to Sydney on 17 March, the ATSB has been calculating its likely trajectory, using data from the aircraft’s flight data recorder. The propeller was located in an area broadly…

The ATSB will today conduct an onsite media briefing on its investigation into the 19 July 2015 aircraft accident near Wedderburn Airport, NSW. The Investigator-in-Charge, Mr Mal Christie will discuss factual information known to the ATSB at this time and will outline the investigation process. The ATSB has deployed four investigators to the accident site. They are expected to be on site for two to three days. The investigators have specialisations in human factors, aircraft engineering and aircraft operations. The investigators are seeking witness reports that might assist the investigation…