Accident sequence
On 11 November 2003, a Piper Seneca, registered VH-CTT, was seen
to diverge right during a go around from runway 11 Right at
Bankstown Airport, NSW. It maintained a constant height above the
ground and; when about halfway along the runway, the aircraft's
nose lifted and it banked steeply to the right before impacting the
ground in a near vertical nose-down attitude. A student pilot in
the left seat and an instructor pilot in the right seat were the
only occupants.
A fire commenced when the aircraft impacted the ground or
shortly after the impact. The fire intensified after the aircraft
came to rest. The main cabin door, located over the right wing,
separated from the aircraft during the accident. The instructor
pilot vacated the aircraft through that opening about 30 seconds
after the aircraft came to rest. The student pilot was fatally
injured. The instructor pilot received severe burns and was treated
in hospital for three and a half weeks before succumbing to those
injuries.
Effectiveness of fire fighting services
On 1 December 2003, the Minister for Transport and Regional
Services signed an Instrument of Direction to the Australian
Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). That instrument directed the ATSB
to 'investigate the effectiveness of the fire fighting arrangements
for Bankstown Airport, as they affected transport safety at
Bankstown Airport on 11 November 2003'. Effectiveness is defined as
'serving to effect the purpose; producing the intended or expected
result'.1 The
instrument was issued to the ATSB on 15 December 2003.
1 Macquarie Dictionary (revised
third edition), The Macquarie Library, NSW, 2003.