Today the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is releasing its Preliminary Factual report into the tail strike involving Airbus A340-500, A6-ERG, during take-off at Melbourne Airport at approximately 10:31 PM on the evening of 20 March 2009. The aircraft was being operated on a scheduled passenger flight from Melbourne to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. It is important to note that the information contained in the preliminary factual report, as the name suggests, is limited to preliminary factual information that has been established in the initial investigation of the accident.…

In accordance with Section 19CB(2)* of the Air Navigation Act 1920, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) will not be attending the accident site of the fatal crash of the Hughes 300 helicopter, VH-THM, rather an office investigation will be carried out. The rationale for this decision is as follows: The Bureau's main focus is on the safety of fare-paying passengers. Bureau resources are currently heavily committed to a number of high-profile occurrences involving fare-paying passengers including QF1, Whyalla Airlines flight 904 and the recent Beechcraft King Air, and the systemic…

At approximately 0400 Eastern Standard Time today the Australian Transport Safety Bureau was notified of a in-flight windscreen fire in an Airbus A330 aircraft that was en route from Osaka, Japan to Coolangatta, Australia. The incident occurred at about 0220 and the flight crew diverted to Guam where the 13 crew and 185 passengers disembarked safely. There are no reported injuries. The ATSB has commenced an investigation in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization Annex 13 on the understanding that the event took place over international waters. The ATSB has notified the US…

At approximately 0730 this morning a Malaysian flag, 24 000 tonne container vessel 'Bunga Teratai Satu' ran aground on Sudbury Reef south-east of Cairns in the Great Barrier Reef marine park. The ship was en route from Singapore to Sydney. The ship was not in the compulsory pilotage area of the inner-route of the Great Barrier Reef and so there was no marine pilot on board at the time of the incident. The Cairns Regional Harbour Master's office is currently assessing the damage to the ship. There are no reports of pollution. The ATSB is sending two investigators to Cairns to investigate this…

The Aviation Safety Council (ASC) in Taipei has requested the assistance of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) in the investigation of the tragic accident at Chiang Kai-Shek International Airport, Taipei, on Monday 1 November 2000 involving a Boeing 747-400 operated by Singapore Airlines. Two ATSB investigators are expected to arrive in Taipei later today, to join the international teams working with the ASC. The ATSB cooperates closely with the ASC and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore through memoranda of understanding that have been exchanged to facilitate the…

At approximately 0700 on Thursday 22 June, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) received a report of a possible collision between and cargo ship and a fishing vessel off the north coast of NSW in the early hours of 21 June. A crew member of the fishing vessel was picked up last night after spending 18 hours in a dingy. There is still one crew member missing and AusSar have a search in progress using 6 helicopters and 3 fixed wing aircraft. Some wreckage has been recovered. The ATSB has sent 2 investigators to the north coast of NSW to commence an investigation. In accordance with…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has commenced an investigation into a reported loss of power at the Sydney Air Traffic Services Centre. The ATSB investigation team includes investigators with specialist Air Traffic Control and Engineering skills. One aspect of the investigation will involve the highly technical Australian Advanced Air Traffic System (TAAATS) environment, consequently it is appropriate and necessary that the team include investigators with specialist skills in that area. One investigator's skills were developed during previous employment with Airservices Australia in…

On Sunday afternoon 6 August, the ATSB was notified that a helicopter had crashed at approximately 6:04 pm EST. The helicopter is believed to have been on a scenic flight with a pilot and four passengers when it crashed near Norman Reef approximately 30 NM NNE of Cairns. All occupants were quickly rescued. ATSB investigators, specialising in engineering and operations have commenced an investigation.

Last night, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) was informed that a Cessna 206 aircraft had disappeared from radar near Cairns at approximately 6:51pm EST. The weather at the time was reported to be very poor, with low cloud, restricted visibility and heavy rain. It is believed that there were 2 persons on board the aircraft and search and rescue operation was commenced immediately. This morning, Queensland police reported that one body and a small amount of aircraft wreckage had been recovered. ATSB investigators, specialising in Air Traffic Control and operations are enroute to…

A media conference to release the Preliminary Factual Report on the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the A340-500 Tail Strike at Melbourne Airport on 20 March 2009, will be held on: Thursday 30 April 2009 Where: ATSB offices, Level 2, 62 Northbourne Avenue, CANBERRA Time: 10:30 am (local time) Mr Julian Walsh, Director of Aviation Safety Investigation will discuss factual information known to the investigation team at this time and will outline the investigation process.