The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has welcomed investigators from the United States to assist in the transport safety investigation into Monday’s large air tanker accident in Western Australia, in line with long-established international protocols. The Boeing 737-300 was modified by the operator for aerial firebombing, and had conducted retardant drops in the Fitzgerald River National Park when it collided with terrain. Thankfully, both aircrew were able to self-extract from the aircraft without serious injuries before the…

Comments for attribution to ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell:  It is very early days in our investigation, and at this stage given the remoteness of the site, and the fact that it is bushfire affected, means we have only a limited understanding of the nature of the accident.  We do know that the accident occurred after the aircraft had conducted a second retardant drop on the fire.  Thankfully the crew were able to self-extract from the aircraft and were essentially uninjured.  This is the first serious accident involving a Boeing 737 aircraft in Australia, and the…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is launching a transport safety investigation into an accident involving a 737 large air tanker (firebomber aircraft) in the Fitzgerald River National Park south of Ravensthorpe, WA on Monday afternoon. The ATSB is assembling a team of transport safety investigators from its Perth and Canberra offices with experience in aircraft operations and maintenance, human factors and data recovery to conduct the evidence collection phase of the investigation. Initially…