The final report on the Whyalla Airlines Piper Chieftain VH-MZK accident on 31 May 2000, in which all eight occupants died, was released today by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. ATSB Executive Director, Kym Bills, made the following statement: "The VH-MZK accident occurred after mechanical failures involving both engines forced the pilot to ditch the aircraft in Spencer Gulf, about 26km from Whyalla, on a dark, cloudy and moonless night. Based on careful analysis of the engine failures and recorded radar and audio data, it is likely that the left engine failed first as a result of a…

A report released today by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau found that the Kuwaiti flag tanker Al Deerah, loaded with cargo, had grounded in the Tamar River, Tasmania on 30 April 2000 due to factors related to the tide and the rate of turn in the river. The effects of starboard rudder used in the turn off Garden Island, combined with differing tidal strengths at the bow and the stern of the vessel and the inability to reduce the rapid rate of turn, were the main factors. The accident happened when the tanker, inbound for Bell Bay on a flood tide, was following normal navigational…

An ATSB investigation has found that fatigue cracking in an XPT axle led to a minor derailment of an XPT passenger service from Melbourne to Sydney on 9 February 2006 at Harden. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation into the derailment concluded that train ST22 derailed as a result of the axle completely fracturing and eventually derailing one wheel. Subsequent examinations by RailCorp, the train operator, led to the discovery of thirteen other XPT power car axles with surface defects, or cracks initiated by surface defects, in highly stressed areas. The ATSBs examination of…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has found that an engine room fire that occurred on board the Antarctic resupply ship LAstrolabe, on 11 November 2006, was the result of a fuel leak on the starboard main engine. On 5 November 2006, the Antarctic supply ship LAstrolabe sailed from the French Antarctic base at Dumont dUrville, bound for Hobart, Tasmania. On 7 November, the engineers discovered that the starboard main engines main fuel pump was leaking. They blanked off the main fuel pump and ran the engine using another fuel pump. At about 0530 on 11 November, while the ship was…

The ATSB has found that a collision occurred at level crossing near Elizabeth River (NT) on 20 October 2006 because the driver of a road-train truck did not stop at a Stop sign to give way to an approaching freight train. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation established that an adjacent road junction, low train conspicuity and a low expectation of seeing a train probably combined to mistakenly filter the truck drivers attention away from the importance of looking for a train. Consequently he did not see the approaching train, even though it is likely that he looked in that…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) advised (Media Release of 10 April 2001) that it was widening the safety deficiency investigation that commenced on 11 January 2001 into airline aircraft maintenance requirements. The widening of the examination will include a review of procedures employed by manufacturers, regulatory and certifying authorities and airline operators. On two recent occasions, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority found it necessary to specifically mandate operator compliance with an aircraft manufacturer's airworthiness recommendation contained in a Service Bulletin…

A media conference discussing the progress of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the Aero Commander fatal accident on 31 July 2007 will be held today, Wednesday 1 August 2007 Where: On the road between West Wallan and Clonbinane, East of Monument Hill in Victoria. (37deg 21.4S 145deg 05.8E) Time: 13:30 local time (Eastern Standard Time) Mr Alex Hood, the investigator in charge (IIC), will discuss factual information known to the investigation team at this time and will outline the investigation process. Any person/witness with information about the accident is encouraged to…

The mate of the container ship Bunga Teratai Satu allowed it to ground on Sudbury Reef off Cairns on 2 November 2000 because he was distracted by his wife's telephone conversation while in charge of the watch. This was the principal finding of a report into the accident released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) today. The mate had called his wife to the bridge wing while within mobile telephone range of the shore for her to speak to her mother and their children in Karachi. The mate was distracted from his duties while establishing the telephone link and while listening to the…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau today released its report on the Qantas B747-400 runway overrun accident at Bangkok International Airport on 23 September 1999. The ATSB investigation was undertaken under a delegation from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Committee of Thailand given on 18 November1999. ATSB Executive Director Kym Bills said: "The Qantas Bangkok runway overrun was a serious accident that fortunately did not result in fatalities and serious injuries. It was a wake-up call to Qantas who may have been lulled into a false sense of security by their very good safety record…

ATSB has received a large number of media calls referring to the article on page 1 of today's Sydney Morning Herald. The article incorrectly reflects the current status of ATSB's investigation and needs to be clarified. The ATSB's Executive Director has written a letter to the editor of the newspaper in the following terms: Editor Today's page 1 article "Ansett beats threat to shut it down" includes a number of statements purporting to reflect the current status of ATSB's investigation that are incorrect. ATSB's safety deficiency investigation was formally commenced on 11January2001 and…