ATTENTION: Editors/Chief of Staff, Aviation/transport writers The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is Australia's prime transport safety investigation agency and conducts independent investigation of civil aviation accidents, incidents and safety deficiencies. The ATSB also has safety roles in other transport modes including maritime and rail investigation, statistical analysis and research, and coordination of the National Road Safety Strategy. A small dedicated Communications & Information (C&I) team handles inquiries from local, interstate and international…

The final report on the Beech Super King Air 200 VH-SKC accident, in which all eight occupants died when a charter flight from Perth on 4 September 2000 overflew Leonora and then the NT before crashing near Burketown QLD, was released today by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. ATSB Executive Director, Kym Bills, made the following statement: "Based on the available evidence, including voice analysis of air traffic control tapes, the investigation concluded that the pilot and passengers were probably incapacitated as a result of hypobaric (altitude) hypoxia due to the…

The final report into the investigation of the grounding of the Wyuna in the Tamar River, Tasmania on 19 October 2000, has concluded that crew fatigue may have been a contributing factor. The report was released today by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. The Australian training vessel had grounded on Shear Rock after the master gave a series of incorrect course orders to a student under training. The vessel was carried northward by the tide and grounded again on Middle Bank before the master was able to manoeuvre the vessel into the channel. There were no injuries and no pollution of…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) will release its final report into the systemic factors behind the groundings of Ansett B767 aircraft, tomorrow. Several of Ansett's B767 aircraft were grounded in December 2000 and again in April 2001. While Ansett has ceased flying, the ATSB continued its investigation because of the importance of the issues involved for the safety of 'Class A' aircraft around the world. Executive Director Kym Bills will speak to the media at 10.30am tomorrow, at the ATSB headquarters at 15 Mort St, Braddon. Who: ATSB Executive Director Kym Bills.When: 10.30am,…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation into a reported fire in the cargo hold of British Airways Flight 16 is under way. An ATSB engineer visited the incident site on Saturday night, 10 August. Aircraft components are being transported to the ATSB laboratory in Canberra for analysis. The ATSB anticipates there will be a preliminary report into the incident issued in 21 days. However, it may take several months for the investigation to be completed. The ATSB will not make any further statements at this time.

A report released today by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has found that limited visibility in heavy rain was a significant factor in a collision involving the Australian fishing vessel Chinderah Star and the Liberian flag bulk carrier Silver Bin. The collision occurred at 1209 local time on 25 March 2000, 0.6 nautical miles west of Chapman Island in the inner route of Queensland's Great Barrier Reef. Approximately 24 minutes before the collision, Chinderah Star was heading north when its skipper identified Silver Bin, 8.6 nautical miles to the north and heading south. The…

At 3.30pm today, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau will release its final investigation report on the fatal aircraft crash near Newman, WA. On 26 January 2001, a Cessna 310R operated by the Western Australian Police Air Support Unit crashed at night near Newman aerodrome. The four occupants sustained fatal injuries. Impact forces destroyed the aircraft. Who: ALAN STRAY (ATSB Deputy Director of Air Safety Investigation)When: 3.30pm (Eastern Standard Time)Where: ATSB Headquarters, 15 Mort Street, Canberra The report, titled Air Safety Investigation Report 200100348, will be available…

ATTENTION: Editors/Chief of Staff, Aviation/transport writers The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will be conducting a Media conference to discuss aspects of the Coroner's findings of the inquest into the Beech Super King Air aircraft which crashed 65km SE of Burketown on 5 September 2000 with eight fatalities. The conference will be held at 4 PM TODAY, Thursday 12 September. When: 4 pm. Please arrive in the foyer no later than 3.45pm as we need to escort you to our conference roomWhere: The Australian Transport Safety Bureau at 15 Mort Street, Canberra City.

The ATSB has found that a lack of communication, hazard awareness and job safety analysis led to a seaman on board the Panamanian registered container ship MSC Sonia being severely burned by steam. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation also found that the placement of the boiler safety valve vent pipe, and the direction in which it exhausted, meant that any personnel on the funnel casing top platform were vulnerable when a boiler safety valve operated. At about 0900 on 10 April 2007, a surveyor arrived on board MSC Sonia to carry out a scheduled boiler survey while the ship was…

The ATSB's final investigation report into a Piper Chieftain accident near Condobolin, NSW on 2 December 2005, resulting in four deceased persons, confirms that the aircraft broke up during flight when its structural limits were exceeded in the vicinity of thunderstorms. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau report states that there was no indication, either by way of emergency radio transmission from the pilot, or in a change in the altitude, track and speed of the aircraft as recorded by radar, that the flight was not proceeding normally. Some minutes after the pilot reported diverting…