The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is inviting owners of flying Amateur-built ABAA and Experimental (ABE) aircraft to participate in a survey. This is the first time in Australia that a constructive effort has been made to gather data on this growing segment of general aviation. ABE aircraft have become an increasingly popular alternative to the purchase of traditional certified aeroplanes. The strong growth in this segment of general aviation deserves greater attention. This survey was developed with the assistance of members of the ABE aircraft community, and we thank them for…

The ATSB's final aviation investigation report into a fatal fire-bombing accident south of Cootamundra last year found that the pilot lost control of the aircraft during a low altitude turn and that his lack of experience on the modified Dromader turbine-engined aircraft may have been a contributing factor. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau notes that this was only the second fatal accident involving a fixed-wing aircraft engaged in fire-bombing operations in Australia since they commenced in the early 1960s, despite the high risks associated with that type of flying. In contrast to…

The ATSB has found that a Cessna 208 engine failure and forced landing onto a lake in a remote part of south-western Tasmania last year was due to a previous generator failure, has praised the pilots actions in landing the aircraft and ensuring passenger safety, and has made a number of safety recommendations to prevent a similar failure. The Australian Transport Safety Bureaus final investigation report states that the aircraft, a single engine Cessna 208 floatplane was being operated on a commercial scenic flight over rugged terrain with a pilot and 10 passengers. The occupants were…

Aircraft Accident - Cirrus SR-22, near M7 Motorway at Cecil Park, NSW on 5 February 2007 The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is seeking the public's assistance in locating a missing panel from an aircraft that crashed last week at Cecil Park in Western Sydney. The Cirrus SR-22 aircraft crashed around 4:30 pm on Monday 5 February, just near the M7 Motorway at Cecil Park, seriously injuring the American pilot and his Australian passenger. Investigators from the ATSB attended the scene and noticed that a panel that should be located on the rear of the aircraft was missing. Yesterday (…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is assisting the Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) with the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic accident involving a Boeing 737-400 on 7 March 2007 at Yogyakarta, Indonesia. As part of this assistance, the ATSB will download and analyse data from both the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) recovered from the aircraft. Depending on the extent of damage, this may involve significant time in transferring data to new black box chassis before download and then analysis. If there…

According to a report issued today by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), a shift of a cargo of packaged timber resulted in the Panamanian flag general cargo vessel Sun Breeze experiencing a large list and sending out a 'Mayday' call off the West Australian port of Bunbury on 21 August 1999. Sun Breeze had sailed from Bunbury at 1800 on 21 August with timber loaded underdeck as well as on the deck and hatchtops. The Master had just left the bridge when the vessel, on autopilot, turned to starboard on its own accord. It then appeared to list to port before taking a starboard list of…

The ATSB has found that a collision occurred at level crossing near Elizabeth River (NT) on 20 October 2006 because the driver of a road-train truck did not stop at a Stop sign to give way to an approaching freight train. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation established that an adjacent road junction, low train conspicuity and a low expectation of seeing a train probably combined to mistakenly filter the truck drivers attention away from the importance of looking for a train. Consequently he did not see the approaching train, even though it is likely that he looked in that…

A report released today by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau found that the Kuwaiti flag tanker Al Deerah, loaded with cargo, had grounded in the Tamar River, Tasmania on 30 April 2000 due to factors related to the tide and the rate of turn in the river. The effects of starboard rudder used in the turn off Garden Island, combined with differing tidal strengths at the bow and the stern of the vessel and the inability to reduce the rapid rate of turn, were the main factors. The accident happened when the tanker, inbound for Bell Bay on a flood tide, was following normal navigational…

An ATSB investigation has found that fatigue cracking in an XPT axle led to a minor derailment of an XPT passenger service from Melbourne to Sydney on 9 February 2006 at Harden. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation into the derailment concluded that train ST22 derailed as a result of the axle completely fracturing and eventually derailing one wheel. Subsequent examinations by RailCorp, the train operator, led to the discovery of thirteen other XPT power car axles with surface defects, or cracks initiated by surface defects, in highly stressed areas. The ATSBs examination of…

The final report on the Whyalla Airlines Piper Chieftain VH-MZK accident on 31 May 2000, in which all eight occupants died, was released today by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. ATSB Executive Director, Kym Bills, made the following statement: "The VH-MZK accident occurred after mechanical failures involving both engines forced the pilot to ditch the aircraft in Spencer Gulf, about 26km from Whyalla, on a dark, cloudy and moonless night. Based on careful analysis of the engine failures and recorded radar and audio data, it is likely that the left engine failed first as a result of a…