The training provided to the pilot did not afford him the opportunity to develop the competencies required to exercise the privileges of the Recreational Aviation Australia Incorporated private pilot certificate.
There have been significant safety actions reported by RA Aus in response to this accident.
Recreational Aviation Australia Incorporated (RA-Aus) advised of safety action in response to this safety issue in the areas of the pilot’s competence to exercise the privileges of the RA-Aus private pilot certificate, the Chief Flying Instructor’s administration of the requirements of the RA-Aus Operations Manual, the provision of training by the senior instructor and the validity of the Taree training facility as a temporary satellite flight training facility. These actions are discussed in the following sections.
Pilot certificate action
The pilot’s RA-Aus pilot certificate was suspended following the accident and the pilot was required to undergo a flight review with an RA-Aus examiner. As a result of that review, the pilot was required to undergo further training before being allowed to exercise the privileges of his pilot certificate.
Chief flying instructor review
RA-Aus reported that the Chief Flying Instructor (CFI) attached to the Taree flight training facility (FTF) was mentored on the:
Senior instructor review
RA-Aus operations staff undertook a review of the performance of the senior instructor who provided the pilot’s training. That review found that the instructor had adequate aeronautical knowledge but did not possess any formal and consistent briefing material for pilots. In response, he was tasked to produce a set of standardised pilot briefing notes.
Validity of the Taree flight training facility
RA-Aus reported that the CFI of the FTF was mentored on the correct procedure to follow for the implementation of TSFTFs. The facility was inspected by RA-Aus operations staff and approved as a TSFTF.
In addition, the RA-Aus Operations Manual is being updated to include a clear definition of a TSFTF and the requirements for their establishment.
RA-Aus have advised that they will be conducting random desktop audits of pilots trained by the FTF to ensure continued compliance with requirements.
The ATSB is satisfied that the action taken and proposed by RA-Aus should lead to improvements that adequately address the safety issue.
