The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has paid tribute to black-box flight recorder inventor, Dr David Warren AO following his recent passing. Aviation investigators around the world use black-box flight recorders as a principal means of establishing the sequence of events immediately after an aviation accident. ATSB Chief Commissioner, Mr Martin Dolan, said through the invention of flight recorders Dr Warren greatly improved transport safety in Australia and throughout the world. "In seeking answers about why accidents happen, the information derived from these recorders is often…

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. Emergency services personnel remain on site. The ATSB has dispatched a team of…

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 the air traffic control radar and voice recordings. A final report is…

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 three to four days.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has today accepted a formal request from the Papua New Guinea Accident Investigation Commission to assist with their investigation into yesterday's plane crash at Misima Island in PNG. A team of three ATSB investigators will fly out this evening to arrive at Misima island by late tomorrow to work closely with the PNG authorities. Given this is a PNG investigation, the primary contact for this investigation will be the PNG Accident Investigation Commission. The ATSB will respond to any queries about its involvement in the investigation.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) today welcomed the appointment of Ms Carolyn Walsh as the newest member of the ATSB Commission, effective from 8 March 2010. Appointed by the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government the Hon Anthony Albanese, Ms Walsh has a wealth of experience in the area of transport safety. Most recently, Ms Walsh was Chief Executive of the Independent Transport Safety and Reliability Regulator in New South Wales. The ATSB's Chief Commissioner, Mr Martin Dolan, said he welcomes the expertise and experience Ms Walsh…

The ATSB has found that the submarine ethane gas pipeline rupture in Port Phillip on 13 December 2008 was the result of attempting to clear the container ship APL Sydney's anchor, which had snagged the pipeline. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation found the ship's anchor had been let go too close to the pipeline in the gale force winds and insufficient anchor cable was deployed. The anchor dragged towards the pipeline and snagged it because appropriate avoiding action was not taken. At 1428 on 13 December, APL Sydney's anchor was let go in Melbourne's Outer Anchorage, about 1…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is investigating the 3 April grounding of the Chinese flagged bulk carrier Shen Neng 1 at Douglas Shoal off the Queensland coast. Shen Neng 1 was bound for China before grounding on the reef around 36 nautical miles east of Great Keppel Island. The ship has sustained damage to a number of its water ballast and fuel tanks. The ATSB sent three marine investigators to Gladstone, Queensland on Sunday to begin the onsite phase of the investigation. The investigators have already interviewed people ashore and collected evidence. They will board the ship…

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 report. Mr Dolan and Mr Hattley will also share the key…

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…