The ATSB has found that the speed boat Norma Jean was travelling too fast in the darkness to avoid a collision that claimed four lives. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau's final investigation report states that the Norma Jean's probable high speed was inappropriate in the dark conditions and the use of the boat's internal lighting may have restricted the ability of the boat's skipper to see the barge until immediately before the collision. At about 1500 on 12 March 2007, the unmanned barge Seatow 61 was anchored about three miles off Carnarvon, Western Australia, and the barge's anchor…

The ATSB has found that a collision between a GrainCorp freight train and overturned truck occurred because train control could not contact the approaching train in the ten minutes or so before the collision. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has today released its final report into the investigation of a collision that occurred at the Olympic Highway level crossing at Illabo in New South Wales on 2 November 2006. At the time of the collision it was dark and raining. The semi-trailer overturned while negotiating the curve prior to the level crossing. The truck driver called '000' and the…

The ATSB has found that strong winds during a thunderstorm could have caused a train derailment in central South Australia. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has today released its final report into the investigation of a freight train derailment near Tarcoola in South Australia on 1 November 2006. The FreightLink train, travelling from Darwin to Adelaide, derailed during a thunderstorm about five kilometres east of Tarcoola. Freight wagons in the middle of the train appeared to have 'tipped over' while the train was travelling at about 67km/h in a severe thunderstorm and there was no…

The ATSB has released a safety bulletin to raise public awareness of the factors which have contributed to a spate of recent tragic rail level crossing accidents. Since April 2006 the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has investigated 12 significant level crossing accidents of which nine have involved heavy road vehicles. The terrible tragedy of the Kerang accident in Victoria in June last year is an example of such an accident where 11 people lost their lives and 20 were injured. The recent investigations conducted by the ATSB have found in almost every case that the motorist failed to stop…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is conducting an investigation into the reported mid-air collision between two Air Tractor aircraft that occurred during the morning of 26 February 2008, 8.5 km NE Wee Waa. A team of four Transport Safety Investigators arrived at the site late Tuesday and has commenced investigating the circumstances of the accident. The team has examined the burnt wreckage of one aircraft and interviewed witnesses. The team will finalise examination of that aircraft today and commence work on the other aircraft. Initial information indicates that the pilot of an…

The ATSB is leading this safety investigation with the assistance of a number of other organisations and agencies, including the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration of the USA, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia and Qantas and Boeing. Yesterday the aircraft was moved to a hangar. This will provide a safer and more optimal working environment for the investigation team. The remainder of the freight on the aircraft has been progressively examined and removed from around the area of the…

The ATSB has found that the engine room fire on board the general cargo ship Baltimar Boreas off Newcastle, on 9 February 2007, started after diesel oil leaking from a failed fuel hose on one of the ship's generator engines ignited. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation found that long term wear from chafing caused the flexible fuel hose to fail. Inadequate maintenance, use of longer than specified hoses and temporary repairs contributed to the poor condition of a number of hoses on the ship's generators. The length of the fuel hoses, as designed, was also not consistent with…

An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation has found that a fatal level crossing accident at Back Creek in central western NSW at about 1830 on 10 March 2007 occurred when the semi-trailer driver drove into the path of an empty grain train. The driver sustained fatal injuries in the collision. The ATSB today released a report regarding the collision. The semi-trailer was trapped under the leading locomotive and dragged onto the rail bridge over a watercourse adjacent to the level crossing. During the collision sequence, the leading locomotive and semi-trailer prime mover…

The ATSB has found that a fatal collision between a Patrick Portlink freight train and a small passenger van occurred when the motorist drove into the path of the train at the Moloney Road level crossing near Virginia, SA. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau report into the collision on 16 November 2007 concluded that the motorist's familiarity with the crossing and low expectation of encountering a train were probably factors that contributed to the collision Alternatively, the motorist may simply have had a lapse of concentration and failed to stop. Both occupants of the van were fatally…

The ATSB was advised on Friday 25 July of an accident involving a Qantas aircraft. The aircraft, a Boeing 747-400 was operating a scheduled passenger service from Hong Kong to Melbourne Australia. At approximately 29,000 feet, the crew were forced to conduct an emergency descent after a section of the fuselage separated and resulted in a rapid decompression of the cabin. The crew descended the aircraft to 10,000 feet in accordance with established procedures and diverted the aircraft to Manila where a safe landing was carried out. The aircraft taxied to the terminal unassisted, where the…