On 21 March 2003 the port main engine of the Australian cargo ship Searoad Mersey failed catastrophically leaving the vessel disabled in Bass Strait. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its investigation report into the incident. At 1612 on 21 March 2003, the roll-on/roll-off cargo vessel Searoad Mersey departed from Melbourne on a scheduled service to Devonport in Tasmania. By 1924 the ship had cleared Point Lonsdale and was heading in a south-easterly direction in Bass Strait. At about 2118, the duty engineer received an engine room alarm and made his way to the…

The ATSB investigation into the fatal Piper Seneca accident on 11 November 2003, at Bankstown Airport has found that the aircraft banked right and speared into the ground during a go-around manoeuvre. The aircraft was being operated on a multi-engine endorsement training flight with an instructor and student on board. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and the post-impact fire. The student was fatally injured in the accident and the instructor received severe burns and died three and a half weeks after the accident. The ATSB interim factual report finds that the engines were…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has been advised of a fatal aviation accident involving a Bell 206 Helicopter, VH-CSH, conducting locust control work, which occurred near Dubbo, New South Wales at about 2.30 local time today 22 November 2004. The Bureau has been advised that regrettably, two occupants of the helicopter suffered fatal injuries, and a third occupant was seriously injured. The ATSB will be conducting an on-site investigation. All media contact to be directed to the ATSB's central office, details below.

The ATSB has released a Preliminary Investigation Report into a 24 July 2004 Boeing 737 incident involving a ground proximity warning 22km south of Canberra aerodrome. The report can be found on the ATSB web site www.atsb.gov.au. The ATSB will not be commenting further on this Preliminary Report. The final report into this incident is expected to be completed by March 2005 and an interim factual report will be released before that time if the circumstances warrant this. Any necessary safety action that arises from the investigation will be recommended immediately and not held until the final…

The ATSB has two marine investigators in transit to investigate the fatal lifeboat accident at Port Hedland yesterday. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau was advised late yesterday of the lifeboat accident in which two people received fatal injuries, another two suffered serious injuries, and a fifth less serious injuries. The accident occurred on 7 October 2004 during a lifeboat exercise on the Hong Kong registered bulk carrier Lowlands Grace, while the ship was at anchor off the WA port of Port Hedland. The ATSB is sending an investigation team to Port Hedland to determine the…

The ATSB investigation into the fatal Aero Commander accident on 19 February 2004, 58 km NNW of Hobart is focusing on the reason for an overload failure of the wings in flight. The ATSB interim factual report finds that the wreckage pattern was consistent with the aircraft having sustained an in-flight structural failure of both wings and the tailplane. The outboard left and right wing sections had separated from the aircraft at similar positions along the respective wings and in a downward direction. However, there was no evidence of corrosion, fatigue cracking or airframe modifications that…

The ATSB final investigation report into the crash that killed the two occupants of a Robinson R22 helicopter at Yakka Munga Station in Western Australia, has found that a drive shaft to the main rotor blades failed. Examination of the shaft revealed that it had failed as a result of a fatigue crack that initiated at a bolt hole in the shaft. Inappropriate procedures, including use of an unapproved sealant, were used when the shaft was last assembled. During the investigation, the ATSB issued an urgent safety recommendation to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) asking for an…

The ATSB's final investigation report into an airspace incident on 7 April involving a Boeing 737 and a Lancair aircraft has found that while it was an 'airprox' it was not a 'serious incident' because of timely action by the air traffic controller and both crews. The Boeing 737, operating under the instrument flight rules (IFR), was en route from Townsville and descending for a landing at Brisbane. A Neico Lancair IV-P aircraft, operating under the visual flight rules (VFR), was en route from Maroochydore to St George, on climb to flight level (FL) 165. Both aircraft were operating in Class…

An ATSB report has found that a recent airspace incident was both an 'airprox' and a 'serious incident' and that after taking evasive action, a Cirrus SR20 and a Cessna 172 aircraft passed about 200 metres horizontally and 50 ft vertically from each other. The Cirrus, operating under the instrument flight rules (IFR), was approaching the Cowes VHF omnidirectional radio range (VOR) navigation aid for instrument flight practice in visual meteorological conditions. A Cessna 172 aircraft, operating under the visual flight rules (VFR), was also conducting navigation aid practice using the Cowes…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has dispatched a team of two investigators to determine the circumstances surrounding the fatal aviation accident near St George, 19 October 2004. The factual circumstances to hand are that it was a private flight from Bundaberg to St. George, Queensland. During the flight, the pilot reported feeling unwell and disoriented. Another aircraft in the area was diverted to formate on the aircraft. The pilot was reportedly lapsing in and out of consciousness. The aircraft was followed, however it subsequently crashed SW of St. George. The pilot was fatally…