Safety summary Update This statistical report shows aviation occurrence and activity data over the 10-year period from 2010–2019 to provide an insight into current and possible future trends in aviation safety. The previous edition (AR‑2020‑014) published in April 2020 presented 10 years of occurrence data, but aviation activity data was only available for 2014–2018 as 2019 activity data was not available at the time of publishing. This report is an update of the previous edition with the addition 2019 aviation activity data which also allows all occurrence rates to be presented for the…

Safety Advisory Notice Yakovlev Aircraft Factories Yak-52 owners and maintainers Elevator bellcranks manufactured from aluminium alloy, fitted to Yakovlev Aircraft Factories Yak-52 aircraft, are known to crack. Periodic inspections are important for detecting the presence of fatigue cracking early and ultimately preventing the failure of the component in-flight. What happened On 5 June 2019, the pilot and passenger of a Yakovlev Aircraft Factories Yak-52 aircraft, departed Southport airfield, Queensland, for a private aerobatic flight. During the flight, the aircraft collided with water…

Safety Advisory Notice To R44 helicopter operators Fatigue cracking in an R44 helicopter clutch shaft resulted in the total loss of drive to the main rotor system while airborne. What happened On the morning of 22 December 2020, the pilot of a Robinson R44 helicopter was conducting aerial agricultural spray operations on a property 13 km south‑east of Clare Valley Aerodrome, South Australia. After completing numerous spray runs throughout the morning, the pilot was preparing to land the helicopter adjacent to a loading vehicle for replenishment of…

I am pleased to present the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s (ATSB) Corporate Plan, which covers the period 2021-22 to 2024-25. This Corporate Plan has been prepared consistent with paragraph 35(1)(b) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and the relevant provisions of the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 (the TSI Act), which establishes the ATSB. The Corporate Plan is also consistent with the Minister’s revised Statement of Expectations 2021–23 (SOE) for the ATSB, as notified under Section 12AE of the TSI Act. The SOE sets out clear…

The ATSB Annual Report 2020–21 outlines performance against the outcome and program structure in the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Portfolio Budget Statements 2020–21.  View on Australian Government Transparency portal Chief Commissioner's review 2020–21 I am pleased to deliver this annual report for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), my first as Chief Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer. While continuing to navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020–21 saw the ATSB commence, progress and complete a series…

Safety Advisory Notice To owners and maintainers of Stolp Acroduster SA-700/750 aircraft Stolp Acroduster upper-wing attachment point, eye bolt fatigue cracking resulted in an in-flight break-up. What happened On 18 August 2021, an amateur-built Stolp Acroduster II SA-750, registered VH-YEL, departed Caboolture Airfield, Queensland, Australia for an aerobatic flight, with the pilot being the sole occupant. A short time later the aircraft sustained an in-flight break-up. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was fatally injured. Why did it happen The centre section…

Operating an amateur-built experimental helicopter outside the recommended design intent can potentially expose the helicopter to unintended stresses, and lead to the failure of critical components in-flight. What happened On 28 July 2015, the pilot and owner of an amateur-built Cicaré CH-7BT helicopter, registered VH‍-JEW, was conducting a ferry flight from Indee Station to Roy Hill Station, Western Australia. When about 8.5 NM north‑east of Roy Hill Station, the stabiliser assembly fractured leading to an in-flight break up and collision with terrain. The pilot was fatally injured and the…

Safety Advisory Notice The ATSB advises helicopter operators involved in hoist operations that improper stowage of the rescue hoist hook assembly can lead to excessive movement and accelerated wear of the wire rope. If undetected, the wear and associated damage can significantly reduce the cable integrity and operational safety of the hoist system. Should the cable fail while under load during operation, personnel being winched may sustain serious or fatal injuries. Rescue hoist and hook assembly Source: NSW Parks and Wildlife Service What happened On 4 February 2020, an Airbus Helicopters…

The purpose of this report Each year, thousands of safety occurrences involving Australian aircraft and foreign‑registered aircraft operating in Australia are reported to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). This report is part of a series that aims to provide information and statistical data to the aviation industry, manufacturers and policy makers, as well as to the travelling and general public, about these aviation safety occurrences. In particular, the data can be used to determine what can be learned to improve transport safety in the aviation sector. The study uses…

Safety Summary Why the ATSB undertook this research On 6 April 2020, the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements (RCNDA) issued a notice to give information to the ATSB. Within this notice, was the requirement to ‘describe any key operational and safety challenges encountered in coordinating and responding to fires associated with the use of aircraft and aerial fire fighting techniques’. This statistical report forms part of the ATSB’s response to the Royal Commission’s notice to give information. In addition, since 2018 the ATSB has commenced six investigations involving…