| Occurrence Briefs are concise reports that detail the facts surrounding a transport safety occurrence, as received in the initial notification and any follow-up enquiries. They provide an opportunity to share safety messages in the absence of an investigation. |
What happened
On the morning of 16 November 2019, a BRM Aero Bristell departed Essendon Airport, Victoria to conduct an instructor-rating proficiency check flight. There was an authorised testing officer (ATO) and instructor on board.
During approach into Drouin, Victoria, the ATO directed the instructor to perform a practice forced landing onto the grass airstrip. The instructor reduced power to idle, adopted best glide speed for the aircraft and began the approach. During the approach, the instructor acknowledged that he would not make the selected touch down point. He applied power of about 100 RPM to assist in the approach. Upon the application of power, the ATO noticed that the aircraft contacted treetops and foliage. Further power was then applied to correct the flight path and to clear the obstacles.
The aircraft landed without further incident and was taxied to the parking area for inspection by the crew. There was no visible damage identified. The crew notified the training organisation’s on-duty instructor and subsequently conducted a return flight to Essendon.
Safety action
As a result of this occurrence, the aircraft training organisation has advised the ATSB that they are taking the following safety action:
A meeting was held with the organisation’s instructional staff to brief them of this occurrence and to advise them that if an incident of this nature should occur, an engineer must confirm the aircraft is safe for further flight.
Safety message
During training flights, testing officers and instructors need to be vigilant and prepared to discontinue a glide approach if it is established that a successful landing cannot be achieved. It is important to be aware of any obstacles or obstructions in the flight path and to ensure clearance is maintained at all times. In the event of contact between an aircraft and treetops or obstacles, such as in this occurrence, it is imperative that an engineer confirms the aircraft is safe for flight.
About this report
Decisions regarding whether to conduct an investigation, and the scope of an investigation, are based on many factors, including the level of safety benefit likely to be obtained from an investigation. For this occurrence, no investigation has been conducted and the ATSB did not verify the accuracy of the information. A brief description has been written using information supplied in the notification and any follow-up information in order to produce a short summary report, and allow for greater industry awareness of potential safety issues and possible safety actions.