The ATSB has released a Preliminary Investigation Report into a 24 July 2004 Boeing 737 incident involving a ground proximity warning 22km south of Canberra aerodrome. The report can be found on the ATSB web site www.atsb.gov.au. The ATSB will not be commenting further on this Preliminary Report. The final report into this incident is expected to be completed by March 2005 and an interim factual report will be released before that time if the circumstances warrant this. Any necessary safety action that arises from the investigation will be recommended immediately and not held until the final…

The ATSB has two marine investigators in transit to investigate the fatal lifeboat accident at Port Hedland yesterday. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau was advised late yesterday of the lifeboat accident in which two people received fatal injuries, another two suffered serious injuries, and a fifth less serious injuries. The accident occurred on 7 October 2004 during a lifeboat exercise on the Hong Kong registered bulk carrier Lowlands Grace, while the ship was at anchor off the WA port of Port Hedland. The ATSB is sending an investigation team to Port Hedland to determine the…

The ATSB investigation into the fatal Aero Commander accident on 19 February 2004, 58 km NNW of Hobart is focusing on the reason for an overload failure of the wings in flight. The ATSB interim factual report finds that the wreckage pattern was consistent with the aircraft having sustained an in-flight structural failure of both wings and the tailplane. The outboard left and right wing sections had separated from the aircraft at similar positions along the respective wings and in a downward direction. However, there was no evidence of corrosion, fatigue cracking or airframe modifications that…

The ATSB final investigation report into the crash that killed the two occupants of a Robinson R22 helicopter at Yakka Munga Station in Western Australia, has found that a drive shaft to the main rotor blades failed. Examination of the shaft revealed that it had failed as a result of a fatigue crack that initiated at a bolt hole in the shaft. Inappropriate procedures, including use of an unapproved sealant, were used when the shaft was last assembled. During the investigation, the ATSB issued an urgent safety recommendation to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) asking for an…

The ATSB's final investigation report into an airspace incident on 7 April involving a Boeing 737 and a Lancair aircraft has found that while it was an 'airprox' it was not a 'serious incident' because of timely action by the air traffic controller and both crews. The Boeing 737, operating under the instrument flight rules (IFR), was en route from Townsville and descending for a landing at Brisbane. A Neico Lancair IV-P aircraft, operating under the visual flight rules (VFR), was en route from Maroochydore to St George, on climb to flight level (FL) 165. Both aircraft were operating in Class…

An ATSB report has found that a recent airspace incident was both an 'airprox' and a 'serious incident' and that after taking evasive action, a Cirrus SR20 and a Cessna 172 aircraft passed about 200 metres horizontally and 50 ft vertically from each other. The Cirrus, operating under the instrument flight rules (IFR), was approaching the Cowes VHF omnidirectional radio range (VOR) navigation aid for instrument flight practice in visual meteorological conditions. A Cessna 172 aircraft, operating under the visual flight rules (VFR), was also conducting navigation aid practice using the Cowes…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has dispatched a team of two investigators to determine the circumstances surrounding the fatal aviation accident near St George, 19 October 2004. The factual circumstances to hand are that it was a private flight from Bundaberg to St. George, Queensland. During the flight, the pilot reported feeling unwell and disoriented. Another aircraft in the area was diverted to formate on the aircraft. The pilot was reportedly lapsing in and out of consciousness. The aircraft was followed, however it subsequently crashed SW of St. George. The pilot was fatally…

A media briefing on the circumstances of the 8 September 2004, Robinson R44 Helicopter, VH-JWX near Roma, Queensland will be held in the Roma airport car park, outside the terminal at 6.00pm today, 10 September 2004. The Investigator in Change, Mike Cavenagh, will provide factual events that are known to the investigation team at this point in time. With the exception of this media briefing all media contact will continue to be addressed by the Bureau's central office, details below.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is seeking assistance from the public to locate a door that fell from an aircraft at about 0715 EST Tuesday 7 September 2004. The aircraft, a Raytheon Beechcraft King Air B300, was en route from Brisbane to Central Queensland at position 149 degrees 51 minutes East, 25 degrees South (approximately 14 NM WSW of Theodore township) and descending through 17,000 ft when the cabin door separated from the aircraft. The door is curved, coloured white and about 1.5 m by 0.8 m by 15 cm. The likely area of interest is bounded by Theodore, Glenbar Station,…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has found that fatigue cracking in the blade slots of a high-pressure turbine disk led directly to the uncontained failure of the left engine of a Boeing 767 aircraft that occurred near Brisbane on 8 December 2002. The aircraft was operating a scheduled passenger service to Auckland, New Zealand and was forced to return to Brisbane airport after the failure. Damage to a wing leading-edge flap from engine debris and the weight of the fuel being carried for the trans-Tasman flight led the flight crew to perform a prepared emergency landing, during…