The ATSB's successful retrieval of flight data from a badly
damaged aircraft has been described as a 'breakthrough' by Royal
New Zealand Air Force authorities.
On 14 January 2010, the Royal New Zealand Air Force Red
Checkers CT-4 Airtrainer aircraft crashed at Ohakea Air Force
Base in New Zealand while practising for an upcoming aerobatics
display. The pilot died in the accident and the aircraft was
destroyed by fire.
The ATSB transport safety report, released today, details the
efforts taken to retrieve a large amount of data from the
aircraft's badly damaged flight data recorder following a request
of assistance from the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The data
recorder was fitted to the aircraft to gather performance data as
part of a fatigue monitoring program.
ATSB Chief Commissioner, Mr Martin Dolan, said the report
reflects the ATSB's strong spirit of international cooperation to
improve safety.
'While the flight data recorder was severely damaged by fire,
ATSB investigators succeeded in retrieving important flight data
through meticulous, painstaking and imaginative work,' Mr Dolan
said.
'We then passed this data onto Royal New Zealand Air Force
investigators who found it invaluable to their investigation.'
'This investigation highlights the ATSB's world-class technical
expertise in transport safety investigations.'
A copy of the ATSB transport safety report AE-2010-024 is available via
the ATSB website.