The ATSB Annual Review documents ATSB's achievements and safety
activities from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005 and outlines its
business planning for 2005-2006.
Executive Directors message
In 2004-05 the ATSB benefited considerably from the funding
boost for aviation investigations and aviation database replacement
that was provided in the May 2004 Federal Budget. During the year,
the Bureau recruited and commenced training 12 extra aviation
safety investigators, instigated 109 aviation occurrence
investigations and released 98 aviation investigation reports, up
from around 60 in recent years. High profile aviation safety
investigation reports released in 2004-05 included reports on
investigations into a fatal Cessna C404 aircraft accident at
Jandakot Airport WA, a fatal Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
helicopter accident near Mackay, Qld and a Boeing 737 terrain
proximity warning near Canberra. The Bureau also released nine
aviation safety research reports.
During 200405 the ATSB issued 19 aviation safety recommendations
and two safety advisory notices and successfully negotiated
valuable safety actions by regulators, operators, manufacturers and
other safety stakeholders. For example, following ATSB
recommendations from the investigation into the EMS helicopter
accident, the Queensland Emergency Services Department is improving
standards and support for Community Helicopter Providers including
requirements for night Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flights and the
helicopter operator is requiring and training all pilots to Command
Instrument Rating standard. The Bureau also completed Stage 1 of
the Safety Investigation Information Management System (SIIMS)
aviation database replacement project, which involved developing
ATSB user requirements and the trial of software tools to support
the improved management of safety investigations.
The ATSBs marine achievements in 200405 included 11 marine
investigation reports including on the grounding of the cruise
liner Astor, and the fatal collision between the bulk carrier Asian
Nova and the fishing vessel Sassenach. The ATSB also undertook an
extensive education campaign within the fishing industry on
commercial fishing vessel safety.
In November 2004 the ATSB established an Adelaide regional
office as a base for its rail team leader and two other rail
investigators. Two rail investigators are based in the ATSBs
Brisbane office and one in the Canberra central office. During
2004-05 the Bureaus rail safety investigation team initiated seven
investigations on the Defined Interstate Rail Network (DIRN) under
the Transport Safety Investigations Act 2003 (TSI Act) and
released the first TSI Act rail investigation reports on freight
train derailments at Ararat, Victoria and Bates, South Australia.
The ATSB also completed a rail investigation report under Victorian
legislation into the derailment and subsequent collision at
Chiltern between a freight train and a passenger train.
On road safety, the ATSB is coordinating the Australian
Government involvement, in partnership with the NSW and Victorian
governments and private sector organisations, in a large-scale
trial of a best-practice education programme for novice drivers.
During 2004-05 the Bureau released 32 road safety research and
statistical reports, including a research report on road texture
and crash risk and a survey of community attitudes. Steady progress
was also made with road safety jurisdictions and stakeholders, but
with substantial challenges remaining to meet or better the 2010
target of no more than 5.6 road deaths per 100,000 population.
The October 2004 International Civil Aviation Organization
(ICAO) report on ICAOs May/June 2004 audit of the ATSB expressed
high satisfaction with Australias legislative, organisational and
training framework for aviation safety investigation and the
professional and efficient conduct of the ATSB investigations
reviewed in detail. As expected, the audit team did make a number
of recommendations for improvement against which the ATSB has
undertaken corrective actions.
Following the 15-fatality Metroliner aircraft accident near
Lockhart River, Queensland, in May 2005, the Bureau commenced its
major investigation into the causes of this tragedy and released a
preliminary factual report in June 2005. In November 2004 the
Queensland Government asked the ATSB to chair a joint Queensland
Transport investigation into the derailment of the Cairns Tilt
Train north of Bundaberg, which injured a significant number of the
157 passengers and crew. The Queensland Minister for Transport
released an interim report on this derailment on 16 February
2005.
The Bureau is continuing its commitment to training its
investigators through the Diploma of Transport Safety Investigation
course. In 200405 fifteen staff completed the TSI Diploma and a
further 30 are progressing through the course.
During the year the Bureau signed a number of Memoranda of
Understanding (MOUs) including with the Civil Aviation Safety
Authority (CASA), the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA),
the Victorian Rail Safety Regulator and with transport safety
bodies in Indonesia and South Korea.
The ATSB continued to release all of its significant safety
outputs to the public. Hits on the ATSB website www.atsb.gov.au amounted to around sixteen
million.
A number of valued staff members retired during the year or
prior to publication of this Review. I note in particular the
contribution of Jon Henchy in Transport Safety Statistics. From
early June 2005 I was off-line assisting the Rt Hon Sir John
Wheeler with a review of Airport Security and Policing and Joe
Motha has acted as ATSB Executive Director in addition to his
normal duties with great professionalism and dedication which I
wish to acknowledge with thanks.
I am grateful to the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
for Transport and Regional Services, the Hon. John Anderson MP, the
Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, the Hon. Jim
Lloyd MP, and to the Secretaries of the Department of Transport and
Regional Services, Mr Ken Matthews AO and Mr Mike Taylor for their
support throughout the year. We look forward to working with the
new Minister for Transport and Regional Services, the Hon. Warren
Truss MP in 200506. The ATSB was again grateful for the bipartisan
support it received for its safety work. The ATSBs ongoing
effectiveness as the Australian Governments primary transport
safety investigator remains reliant on both the perceptions and
reality of its independence, fairness and professionalism.
Kym Bills