The ATSB's final investigation report into the Piper Aztec accident which killed a family of five near Mareeba, Queensland on 1 October 2003, has found that the pilot was probably incapacitated as a result of a cardiac event. The pilot, his wife and three children were conducting a private flight from Mareeba, to Roma, Queensland, in the Piper Aztec aircraft, registered VH-WAC. Witnesses reported that shortly after the aircraft took off from runway 28, it started to bank to the left. The left bank gradually steepened, after which the aircraft rapidly descended to the ground. Witnesses close…

An execution error by the helmsman of a ship led to a ship running aground in Sydney Harbour. The Maltese registered general cargo ship Tauranga Chief ran aground on a mud/sand patch just south of Bradleys Head light in the middle of Sydney Harbour at 0339 in the morning of 17 January 2003. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation report released today states that the ship arrived at Sydney Heads at 0300 on 17 January 2003 and a harbour pilot boarded. The pilot took charge of the conduct of the ship and it continued into the harbour toward its White Bay berth. During a…

A media conference discussing the progress of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal Metroliner aircraft accident near Lockhart River on Cape York Peninsula, Queensland on 7 May 2005 was held today, Thursday 12 May 2005. Where: 15 Mort Street, Canberra City - (ATSB Headquarters) Time: 14:30 local time (ACT) Mr Alan Stray, the Deputy Director, Aviation Safety Investigation, discussed only verified factual material known to the investigation team at the time. Any person/witness with information about the accident is encouraged to contact the ATSB on 1800 020 616 and will…

A media conference discussing the progress of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the Piper Navajo fatal accident on 31 October 2006 will be held today, Wednesday 1 November 2006 Where: Raglan Creek bridge (off the Gladstone/Rockhampton highway, near the police command centre) Time: 14:00 local time (Eastern Standard Time) Mr Mike Cavenagh, the investigator in charge (IIC), will discuss factual information known to the investigation team at this time and will outline the investigation process. Any person/witness with information about the accident is encouraged to contact the…

An ATSB report has found that a recent airspace incident was both an 'airprox' and a 'serious incident' and that a Brasilia and a Partenavia aircraft passed about 40 m horizontally at the same altitude from each other. The flight crew of the instrument flight rules (IFR) Brasilia was on descent through 9,500 ft from Darwin to Kununurra Airport on airway J72 in visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The flight was a scheduled Regular Public Transport (RPT) service. The pilot of a visual flight rules (VFR) Partenavia was tracking in the opposite direction from overhead Kununurra to Darwin at 9…

As an operationally independent body within the Australian Government Department of Transport and Regional Services, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is Australia's prime agency for Transport Safety Investigations. It is therefore essential that the agency's name is reported correctly: AUSTRALIAN TRANSPORT SAFETY BUREAU (ATSB) when covering the Bureau's activities.

A media conference discussing the progress of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal Citabria aircraft accident near the town of Stonefield in South Australia on Sunday 15 May 2005 will be held today, Monday 16 May 2005. Where: Liebig Road, Stonefield (approximately 18 kms past the town of Truro) Time: 15:30 local time (CST) Mr Bryan Aherne, the Investigator in Charge, will discuss only verified factual material known to the investigation team at the time. Any person/witness with information about the accident is encouraged to contact the ATSB on 1800 020 616 and will…

A media conference discussing the factual information contained in the preliminary report into the circumstances surrounding the fatal aircraft accident near Lockhart River on 7 May 2005 will be held today, Friday 3 June 2005. Where: 15 Mort Street, Canberra City ACT (ATSB headquarters) Time: 15:00 local time Mr Alan Stray, Deputy Director, Aviation Safety Investigation, will discuss only factual material known to the investigation team at this time. Any person/witness with information about the accident is encouraged to contact the ATSB on 1800 020 616 and will be put in touch with an…

A media conference discussing the progress of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal Metroliner aircraft accident near Lockhart River on Cape York Peninsula, Queensland on 7 May 2005 was held today, Thursday 12 May 2005. Where: 15 Mort Street, Canberra City - (ATSB Headquarters) Time: 14:30 local time (ACT) Mr Alan Stray, the Deputy Director, Aviation Safety Investigation, discussed only verified factual material known to the investigation team at the time. Any person/witness with information about the accident is encouraged to contact the ATSB on 1800 020 616 and will…

Since November this year, there have been numerous stories in the Australian media suggesting, among other things, that commercial aviation safety is declining and fatal accidents involving professional pilots in Australia in the last three years were very high compared with the start of the 1990s and had increased compared with those involving private pilots. The Executive Director of the ATSB therefore commissioned a research paper to analyse the facts contained in the ATSB database and to seek comment on the paper's content and findings. A media conference discussing the factual…