Aviation

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau tonight announced that, with great regret and after serious consideration, it is withdrawing Mr Bob Armstrong from the investigation into the Whyalla Airlines accident.

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.

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 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.

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.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau's investigation into the accident involving an Airbus A330-300 aircraft operating as Qantas flight 72 on a flight from Singapore to Perth on 7 October 2008 is progressing well.

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.