Last night, 31st May 2000, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) was notified that the crew of a Piper Navajo Chieftain, registered VH-MZK, enroute Adelaide to Whyalla had initiated a distress call indicating engine failure. Reportedly, there were eight persons on board the aircraft. A Royal Australian Air Force aircraft in the area initiated an immediate search for the aircraft. At 6.00am this morning, 1 June 2000, Australian Search and Rescue confirmed with the Bureau that wreckage from the aircraft has been located. The ATSB has dispatched a team of three investigators specialising…

As the wreckage of Whyalla Airlines flight 904 has now been located, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has engaged a South Australian company, which has a vessel with heavy lift capability, to recover the aircraft. Depending on factors such as the weather, it is expected that the salvage operation would commence early on Friday 9 June. Once the wreckage has been transported to a secure site a specialist examination will be undertaken to assist in establishing the airworthiness of the aircraft immediately prior to the accident. In addition, the crashworthiness of the aircraft, and its…

As a further step to establishing what led to the crash of Whyalla Airlines flight 904 last Wednesday 31 May, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and the South Australia Police are arranging to salvage the wreckage of the Piper Chieftain from Spencer Gulf. Although only one facet of the investigation, specialist examination of the wreckage is important to assist in establishing the airworthiness of the aircraft immediately prior to the accident. In addition, the crashworthiness of the aircraft, and its effect on the surviveability of its occupants will be examined. In the meantime,…

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is waiting for further information on the crash of a Cessna 206 in the ocean off South Australia yesterday. Mr Kym Bills, Executive Director of the Australia Transport Safety Bureau said that the aircraft's wreckage has not yet been discovered. 'At this stage we are making preliminary inquiries, and we won't know the extent and direction of further investigations until we have more information', Mr Bills said.

The pilot of a twin-engine Cessna 310 reported a landing gear problem to Canberra Airport tower following take-off on Sunday 13 February 2000. During the ensuing landing the aircraft nose gear collapsed.

The aircraft's Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR), Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Quick Access Recorder arrived in Canberra late on Wednesday evening. Downloading and preliminary analysis has revealed good data from both recorders. Data from the FDR has been provided to participants in the investigation which include Qantas, the French accident investigation authority - the Bureau d'Enqu'tes et d'Analyses (BEA), Airbus and the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The aircraft's operating crew acted responsibly and promptly after the aircraft was shut down by isolating the CVR to…