Robinson R22 helicopter pilots are being cautioned of a drive belt risk following a fatal accident in north-west Queensland. On 9 May 2011, a Robinson R22 Beta II helicopter crashed after its drive belts failed during mustering operations near Julia Creek (the drive belts transmit engine power to the helicopter's main and tail rotor blades). The pilot, who died in the accident, was the only person on board. The ATSB preliminary investigation report, released today, highlights a number of factors that can cause drive belt failure. These include excessive wear due to the misalignment of the…

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…

The lessons from tragic accidents following flight into cloud or poor visibility are often ignored or forgotten, according to the ATSB. Some pilots who are only qualified to fly when visibility is good (visual flight) remain exposed to significant risk of a fatal accident. To fly in cloudy or foggy conditions, pilots need an instrument flight rules rating. A booklet released by the ATSB today highlights the dangers of pilots without an instrument rating flying into bad weather. With 14 fatalities in the past five years, general aviation accidents involving visual flights entering cloud remain…

ATSB investigations have resulted in many improvements to transport safety, according to a new research report, although problems with the procedures used to manage safety risk continue to be the most common issue in all three modes of transport. The report examines safety issues-and resulting actions-identified by the ATSB across the aviation, marine and rail sectors during 20010-11. From the ATSB's investigations, 121 safety issues (factors that could adversely affect the safety of future operations) were identified. The transport industry undertook 137 separate safety actions to deal with…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will conduct an independent systemic investigation into operations on the interstate rail line between Sydney and Melbourne in response to a request from the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP. The systemic investigation follows a number of specific incidents on the rail line, which is leased and operated by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC). As part of the systemic investigation, the ATSB will look at all relevant matters including: The operational condition of the interstate rail track and measures being…

Pilots of single-engine aircraft are at greater risk of having an accident following a partial engine power loss than they are of a full engine failure, according to the ATSB. A partial engine power-loss occurs when the engine provides less power than that commanded by the pilot. ATSB General Manager Strategic Capability, Mr Julian Walsh, says partial power loss is actually a more complex situation than a complete failure, and it can be much harder to manage. "The pilot is in a situation where the engine is still providing some power, but it may be unreliable, and the available power level…

Australian accidents and incidents - some worrying trends The last time, I took for granted that a Safeskies audience would know what the ATSB was and the roles it played in Australia's system of aviation safety. Conversations with a number of you - and with others - have since convinced me that I might have been over-optimistic on that score. We're still positioned in the public's mind as 'the accident investigator'. Certain television series only reinforce that view. Thorough and effective investigation is of course an essential part of what we do - a necessary pre-condition - but it's only…

The latest news on transport safety investigations is now available from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's Twitter account: @ATSBinfo ATSB will use Twitter to provide information on transport safety activities and initiatives such as: new safety investigations investigation updates investigation and research report releases new safety awareness products. Follow the ATSB on Twitter at @ATSBinfo More information is available from the ATSB website www.atsb.gov.au

An interim ATSB investigation report has confirmed the sequence of events that led to the 4 November 2010 uncontained engine failure on board a Qantas A380 aircraft over Batam Island, Indonesia. The report also sets out how, as a result of the investigation to date, Rolls-Royce, affected airlines and safety regulators have taken action to ensure the continued safe operation of A380 aircraft. Released today, the report highlights how the intermediate pressure turbine disc in the aircraft's No. 2 engine had been weakened by an oil fire. As a result, the disc separated from its shaft,…

An ATSB investigation into a fatal helicopter accident has highlighted the continuing risks facing pilots when flying around powerlines. On 20 May 2010, a helicopter struck a powerline during forestry spraying operations near the Latrobe Valley Airport in Victoria. The helicopter crashed and the pilot, the only person on board, died. The ATSB's investigation report, released today, describes how the pilot struck the wire on the final spray run despite being aware of the wire's location. ATSB Chief Commissioner, Mr Martin Dolan, said this accident is part of a worrying trend in aviation…