Controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) has been identified as one of 'aviation's historic killers', claiming the lives of more than 35,000 people since the emergence of civil aviation in the 1920s. The purpose of this report was to provide an overview of CFIT from an international perspective, to examine current and potential CFIT preventative strategies, and to specifically identify those characteristics associated with CFIT in Australia. A search of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's (ATSB) aviation safety database identified 25 CFIT accidents and two CFIT incidents in the period 1996…

There is increasing recognition that methods which proactively monitor airline safety may be useful in preventing air safety occurrences. Proactive rather than reactive safety programs are particularly important, considering the high social and economic costs of airline accidents to the community. However, in the aviation industry, there are currently few formal proactive safety management systems in use, and none that reliably demonstrate the desirable goal of improving safety performance. This paper outlines a new proactive safety method for the airline industry, called INDICATE (…

Communication within the air traffic system relies heavily on the verbal interaction between pilots and air traffic controllers (controllers) to ensure the safe and efficient operation of air traffic. The use of standard phraseology and radio telephony procedures, such as readbacks, minimises the opportunity for misinterpretation between pilot and controller. Some sectors of the industry have raised concerns regarding the use of excess or non-standard phraseology in readbacks on the surface movement control (SMC) frequency, resulting in radio congestion. The purpose of this report was to…

The 1995 House of Representatives Standing Committee on Transport, Communications and Infrastructure Plane Safe Report (Morris, 1995), found that 'a paucity of information' and 'an absence of safety indicators' were features of the low-capacity RPT sector of the Australian aviation industry. A Preliminary Information Paper published by BASI in 1996 concluded that a range of safety issues warranting further research existed within the regional airline industry. BASI then appointed a research team to comprehensively investigate the level of safety in the regional airline industry. After a study…

Regional airline operations globally have expanded over the past decade for various reasons, including filling gaps left by legacy carriers who have reduced services on unprofitable routes, opportunities provided through other cost based market rationalisations, and the introduction of new and more capable regional type aircraft. Very little formal research has been done in Australia or overseas to assist with the development of safety models and tools for regional airline operations. Regional Express (REX) is a relatively new airline that was created by merging two separate and culturally…

Each year the United States' Aircraft Owner's and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Foundation releases a report summarising the accident trends and factors for general aviation (GA) for the previous calendar year. The Nall Report has established itself as one of the aviation community's benchmark reports and its release is anticipated across the industry. The report provides essential data in an easy-to-read format, giving a broad overview of the state of general aviation and safety trends in the US. As part of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's (ATSB) mission to enhance public…

This aim of the study was to provide objective data to inform fatigue risk-management processes by determining the quantity and quality of sleep obtained by airline pilots during transcontinental back of clock operations, and any changes to subjective fatigue and neurobehavioural performance during these sectors. Typical transcontinental back of clock route pairings involve a departure close to midnight Perth local time, with a dawn arrival into an East-coast city such as Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane. In many instances this first sector is followed by a second sector to another east-coast…

The Robinson R22 helicopter is the most common model of rotary-wing aircraft on the Australian register and has been a popular choice for private operations, flying training and various types of aerial work activity. The R22 has a relatively good safety record compared with other light piston-engine helicopters in Australia based on activity levels. The R22 is also the favoured type for aerial stock mustering operations - an uniquely Australian application that supports the local beef cattle industry. Despite its popularity in this type of work, little was known about the helicopter's…

Following three breakdown of separation occurrences in the airspace of the Sydney Terminal Area (TMA), the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation (BASI) initiated a systemic investigation into the common factors underlying those occurrences. The investigation commenced on 22 June 1998 and was completed by 31 July 1998. Three further occurrences were identified during the course of the investigation. The systemic investigation has identified safety deficiencies primarily related to the management of change, and the rate and complexity of change faced by air traffic controllers operating in the…

This study provides a systematic analysis of the types of human error occurring in Australian civil aviation accidents. It also compares these results against a larger sample of accidents occurring in the United States. Inevitably, all humans make errors. But safety can be enhanced when the number and consequences of these errors are reduced. This paper aims to enhance aviation safety through extending our knowledge of aircrew errors. While the types of accidents and flying operations varied slightly between Australia and the US, the pattern of aircrew errors were remarkably similar. Skill-…