The ATSB has found that a seaman may have been fatigued when he fell from a bulk carriers cargo hold ladder at the end the working day on 8 August 2007. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation also found that he may have been distracted by the equipment he was carrying and as a result of a mixture of perspiration and hydrochloric acid that would have caused irritation to his skin and eyes. On 8 August 2007, Oceanic Angel was about three degrees south of the equator and en-route to Dampier, Australia. After lunch, the crew were preparing the cargo holds for an upcoming salt cargo…

An ATSB preliminary factual report into an electrical system failure involving a Boeing 747-400 near Bangkok on 7 January 2008 indicates that the event was less serious than first reported. The aircraft, with 346 passengers and 19 crew on board, was being operated on a scheduled service between London and Bangkok. When the aircraft was at about 21,000 feet on descent to Bangkok Airport, the customer service manager notified the flight crew that a substantial water leak had occurred in the forward galley. Over the following 12 to 13 minutes, cockpit indications showed a number of electrical…

The ATSB investigation of a collision between The Ghan passenger train and a double road-train has found that the accident occurred because the road-train was driven through a 'Stop' sign at a level crossing at an estimated speed of 50 km/h, linked to local truck driver practice and medical issues. The final report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau also found that The Ghan hit the road-train just behind its prime mover at a speed of 101 km/h on the afternoon of 12 December 2006 at the Fountain Head Road level crossing at Ban Ban Springs, about 170 kilometres south-east of Darwin. Both…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its final investigation report into the serious incident at Perth Airport, WA on 9 May 2008, involving an approach and landing by a Boeing Company 737-800, registered PK-GEF, during a period of planned runway works. The ATSB report found that the permanent runway 21 threshold and touchdown markings were not required to be obscured and were clearly visible to the flight crew. Those markings continued to provide approach and landing cues to the normal touchdown zone, which was located within the runway works area. The use of 6 m closed…

An ATSB investigation has found that a number of factors combined to cause the derailment of a freight train at Yerong Creek in southern NSW on 4 January 2006, any one of which may not have resulted in a derailment in its own right. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation into the derailment concluded that a track misalignment occurred as a result of localised stresses in the rail that had built up until the track moved as the train passed over it. The track at this location, the main rail corridor between Melbourne and Sydney, has rails that have been welded into one continuous…

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 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 circumstances surrounding the reported mid-air collision between a Robinson helicopter and a Piper Cub that occurred during the late afternoon on 13 February 2008, in the ranges north of Gascoyne Junction. A team of four (4) Transport Safety Investigators is expected to be in Carnarvon later today to commence the on-site phase of the investigation. Any person/witness with information about the accident is encouraged to contact the ATSB on 1800 020 616. Further advice will be provided if the ATSB decides to…

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…