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Hans India
21-05-2025
- Hans India
2023 fatal Australian army helicopter crash caused by pilot disorientation: Investigation
Canberra: A 2023 Australian army helicopter crash that killed four soldiers was caused by the pilot becoming disoriented, an investigation has found. The Department of Defence on Wednesday publicly released the aviation safety investigation report into the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash in July 2023. All four soldiers on board, including pilot Danniel Lyon and co-pilot Maxwell Nugent, were killed when the helicopter crashed into the ocean off Australia's east coast during a late-night defence training exercise in July 2023. The 228-page report found that the primary cause of the accident was Lyon suffering from an unrecognised loss of spatial orientation. "This refers to a situation where a pilot is unaware of their actual orientation in relation to the earth's surface and the surrounding environment," the Department of Defence said in a statement. The helicopter with the callsign "Bushman 83" was third in a formation of four MRH-90s that were conducting various manoeuvres during the exercise. The report found that, after making a turn, Bushman 83 climbed 100 feet before rapidly descending and crashing into the ocean in a 21-second span. It said that Lyon "almost certainly" lost sight of the aircraft ahead, Bushman 82, and tried to regain visual but likely did not know the helicopter was facing nose down and accelerated quickly, resulting in an "unrecoverable" rate of descent towards the water. During the descent, the investigation found that Lyon likely regained sight of Bushman 82 and took evasive action to avoid a mid-air collision, potentially saving lives, Xinhua news agency reported. The report found that the conditions at the time increased the risk of a person experiencing spatial disorientation and that Lyon and Nugent were likely suffering from fatigue as a result of disruptive work patterns, burnout and poor sleeping conditions during the training exercise. It made 196 findings and 46 recommendations across the Defense Aviation Safety Program, all of which have been accepted. The Department of Defence said that the investigation was one of the most complex conducted in recent history.
The Advertiser
21-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Army pilot took 'evasive action' before fatal crash
The pilot of an army chopper that crashed and killed all four on board took action to avoid a mid-air collision with another aircraft, a defence report reveals. The Aviation Safety Investigation Report into the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash on July 28, 2023 was released on Wednesday. Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs were killed when their helicopter crashed into waters in the Whitsundays during Exercise Talisman Sabre. The investigation found the primary cause of the tragedy was "spatial disorientation", which happens when a pilot misperceives the position of their aircraft in relation to the surrounding environment. It concluded that the pilots were likely experiencing a level of fatigue shown to "impede optimal performance" and increase susceptibility to spatial disorientation. "The estimated level of fatigue ... was considered sufficient to affect their actions and decisions in the event," the report said. The crew, from the Sydney-based 6th Aviation Regiment, were flying in a helicopter given the call-sign Bushman 83, which was the third in a formation of four aircraft as part of a training exercise. The report found that after making a turn, Bushman 83 climbed more than 100 feet within 14 seconds. Cockpit voice recordings revealed there were no communications between the choppers for the period of the climb. But a recording from inside Bushman 83 heard the co-pilot ask "have you still got ('em)". The aircraft pilot replied "yeah still got ('em) mate". It was found the aircraft pilot "almost certainly" lost sight of the helicopter ahead in the formation, Bushman 82. The report stated the aircraft pilot of Bushman 83 likely didn't know the chopper was facing nose down and combined with a lack of recognition of the aircraft's increasing airspeed "resulted in a very high and unrecoverable rate of descent towards the water". The two helicopters came within 50m of each other, with Bushman 83's aircraft captain taking action to avoid a mid-air collision. The report found the helicopters were conducting manoeuvres during rain showers which limited visibility. The chopper was flying with its cabin doors closed which also restricted visibility. The report identified 196 findings, resulting in 46 recommendations across the Defence Aviation Safety Program. All of the recommendations have been accepted by the Defence Aviation Authority, which has committed to their implementation. The aviation safety investigation has been labelled one of the most complex conducted by Defence in recent history. Defence All-hours Support Line (ASL) - 1800 628 036 Defence Member and Family Support - 1800 624 608 Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling - 1800 011 046 Lifeline - 13 11 14 The pilot of an army chopper that crashed and killed all four on board took action to avoid a mid-air collision with another aircraft, a defence report reveals. The Aviation Safety Investigation Report into the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash on July 28, 2023 was released on Wednesday. Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs were killed when their helicopter crashed into waters in the Whitsundays during Exercise Talisman Sabre. The investigation found the primary cause of the tragedy was "spatial disorientation", which happens when a pilot misperceives the position of their aircraft in relation to the surrounding environment. It concluded that the pilots were likely experiencing a level of fatigue shown to "impede optimal performance" and increase susceptibility to spatial disorientation. "The estimated level of fatigue ... was considered sufficient to affect their actions and decisions in the event," the report said. The crew, from the Sydney-based 6th Aviation Regiment, were flying in a helicopter given the call-sign Bushman 83, which was the third in a formation of four aircraft as part of a training exercise. The report found that after making a turn, Bushman 83 climbed more than 100 feet within 14 seconds. Cockpit voice recordings revealed there were no communications between the choppers for the period of the climb. But a recording from inside Bushman 83 heard the co-pilot ask "have you still got ('em)". The aircraft pilot replied "yeah still got ('em) mate". It was found the aircraft pilot "almost certainly" lost sight of the helicopter ahead in the formation, Bushman 82. The report stated the aircraft pilot of Bushman 83 likely didn't know the chopper was facing nose down and combined with a lack of recognition of the aircraft's increasing airspeed "resulted in a very high and unrecoverable rate of descent towards the water". The two helicopters came within 50m of each other, with Bushman 83's aircraft captain taking action to avoid a mid-air collision. The report found the helicopters were conducting manoeuvres during rain showers which limited visibility. The chopper was flying with its cabin doors closed which also restricted visibility. The report identified 196 findings, resulting in 46 recommendations across the Defence Aviation Safety Program. All of the recommendations have been accepted by the Defence Aviation Authority, which has committed to their implementation. The aviation safety investigation has been labelled one of the most complex conducted by Defence in recent history. Defence All-hours Support Line (ASL) - 1800 628 036 Defence Member and Family Support - 1800 624 608 Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling - 1800 011 046 Lifeline - 13 11 14 The pilot of an army chopper that crashed and killed all four on board took action to avoid a mid-air collision with another aircraft, a defence report reveals. The Aviation Safety Investigation Report into the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash on July 28, 2023 was released on Wednesday. Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs were killed when their helicopter crashed into waters in the Whitsundays during Exercise Talisman Sabre. The investigation found the primary cause of the tragedy was "spatial disorientation", which happens when a pilot misperceives the position of their aircraft in relation to the surrounding environment. It concluded that the pilots were likely experiencing a level of fatigue shown to "impede optimal performance" and increase susceptibility to spatial disorientation. "The estimated level of fatigue ... was considered sufficient to affect their actions and decisions in the event," the report said. The crew, from the Sydney-based 6th Aviation Regiment, were flying in a helicopter given the call-sign Bushman 83, which was the third in a formation of four aircraft as part of a training exercise. The report found that after making a turn, Bushman 83 climbed more than 100 feet within 14 seconds. Cockpit voice recordings revealed there were no communications between the choppers for the period of the climb. But a recording from inside Bushman 83 heard the co-pilot ask "have you still got ('em)". The aircraft pilot replied "yeah still got ('em) mate". It was found the aircraft pilot "almost certainly" lost sight of the helicopter ahead in the formation, Bushman 82. The report stated the aircraft pilot of Bushman 83 likely didn't know the chopper was facing nose down and combined with a lack of recognition of the aircraft's increasing airspeed "resulted in a very high and unrecoverable rate of descent towards the water". The two helicopters came within 50m of each other, with Bushman 83's aircraft captain taking action to avoid a mid-air collision. The report found the helicopters were conducting manoeuvres during rain showers which limited visibility. The chopper was flying with its cabin doors closed which also restricted visibility. The report identified 196 findings, resulting in 46 recommendations across the Defence Aviation Safety Program. All of the recommendations have been accepted by the Defence Aviation Authority, which has committed to their implementation. The aviation safety investigation has been labelled one of the most complex conducted by Defence in recent history. Defence All-hours Support Line (ASL) - 1800 628 036 Defence Member and Family Support - 1800 624 608 Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling - 1800 011 046 Lifeline - 13 11 14 The pilot of an army chopper that crashed and killed all four on board took action to avoid a mid-air collision with another aircraft, a defence report reveals. The Aviation Safety Investigation Report into the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash on July 28, 2023 was released on Wednesday. Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs were killed when their helicopter crashed into waters in the Whitsundays during Exercise Talisman Sabre. The investigation found the primary cause of the tragedy was "spatial disorientation", which happens when a pilot misperceives the position of their aircraft in relation to the surrounding environment. It concluded that the pilots were likely experiencing a level of fatigue shown to "impede optimal performance" and increase susceptibility to spatial disorientation. "The estimated level of fatigue ... was considered sufficient to affect their actions and decisions in the event," the report said. The crew, from the Sydney-based 6th Aviation Regiment, were flying in a helicopter given the call-sign Bushman 83, which was the third in a formation of four aircraft as part of a training exercise. The report found that after making a turn, Bushman 83 climbed more than 100 feet within 14 seconds. Cockpit voice recordings revealed there were no communications between the choppers for the period of the climb. But a recording from inside Bushman 83 heard the co-pilot ask "have you still got ('em)". The aircraft pilot replied "yeah still got ('em) mate". It was found the aircraft pilot "almost certainly" lost sight of the helicopter ahead in the formation, Bushman 82. The report stated the aircraft pilot of Bushman 83 likely didn't know the chopper was facing nose down and combined with a lack of recognition of the aircraft's increasing airspeed "resulted in a very high and unrecoverable rate of descent towards the water". The two helicopters came within 50m of each other, with Bushman 83's aircraft captain taking action to avoid a mid-air collision. The report found the helicopters were conducting manoeuvres during rain showers which limited visibility. The chopper was flying with its cabin doors closed which also restricted visibility. The report identified 196 findings, resulting in 46 recommendations across the Defence Aviation Safety Program. All of the recommendations have been accepted by the Defence Aviation Authority, which has committed to their implementation. The aviation safety investigation has been labelled one of the most complex conducted by Defence in recent history. Defence All-hours Support Line (ASL) - 1800 628 036 Defence Member and Family Support - 1800 624 608 Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling - 1800 011 046 Lifeline - 13 11 14
West Australian
21-05-2025
- General
- West Australian
Pilot's last manoeuvre may have prevented second helicopter tragedy
A military pilot's last-second evasive manoeuvre likely saved four lives during a catastrophic Army helicopter crash in the Whitsundays, a new investigation has revealed. Captain Danniel Lyon, who died alongside co-pilot Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class 2 Phillip Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs, managed to avoid a mid-air collision despite losing control of his MRH-90 Taipan, according to a 228-page report by the Defence Flight Safety Bureau (DFSB). The crash occurred on July 28, 2023, during Exercise Talisman Sabre, when the Taipan, call sign Bushman 83, plunged into the ocean off Hamilton Island while flying in formation with three other helicopters. The DFSB concluded the primary cause was spatial disorientation, with Captain Lyon and Lieutenant Nugent becoming disoriented for 21 seconds before impact. However, in the final moments, Captain Lyon rolled the aircraft to the right, diverting it from a potential collision course with Bushman 82. 'During the two and a half seconds after the pushover, (flight data recorder) analysis indicates that the relative distance between the two aircraft decreased from approximately 100 metres to 50 metres,' the report said. 'In response to this increasing closure, it is likely (Captain Lyon) acted to avoid a potential mid-air collision with BSMN 82 by executing an avoidance turn to the right.' The report found Captain Lyon's action, taken while the aircraft was 'unrecoverable', likely prevented further loss of life. Cockpit audio captured a calm and focused exchange between Captain Lyon and Lieutenant Nugent just seconds before the crash. 'It's getting dicey,' Captain Lyon said five seconds into a left-hand turn through rain showers. Moments later, he told Lieutenant Nugent, 'I'll just get around the corner for you mate … while we're dealing with the rain shower.' As they climbed, Captain Lyon asked: 'Have you still got em?' referring to the aircraft ahead. Lieutenant Nugent replied, 'Yeah, still get em mate.' Investigators believe this exchange marked the moment Captain Lyon lost visual contact with the Bushman 82 helicopter. He then began climbing through poor visibility and attempted quick manoeuvres to regain sight of the aircraft, rolling sharply right and then left. Neither Captain Lyon nor co-pilot Lieutenant Nugent appeared to notice a critical change in the aircraft's pitch, from nose-up to nose-down, as their helicopter climbed above the rest of the formation Unaware of the aircraft's downward attitude, Captain Lyon pitched down further, inadvertently pushing the aircraft into a fatal nose-down descent. In the final seconds before impact, Captain Lyon recognised that his plummeting helicopter, Bushman 83, was on a collision course with Bushman 82. Despite knowing his own chopper was unrecoverable, he took immediate evasive action, rolling sharply to the right in a final act that likely saved the lives of the four crew aboard Bushman 82. Bushman 83 hit the water at 10:36:25pm, travelling at 259km/h. The four men were killed instantly. The DFSB noted that fatigue likely contributed to the spatial disorientation. Both Captain Lyon and Lieutenant Nugent had been sleeping in tents at Proserpine Airport in the days prior and waited inside the aircraft for two hours before takeoff. The investigation also assessed whether the TopOwl 5.10 helmet, criticised in test reports for its inverted pitch and roll displays when pilots turn their heads, contributed to the crash. The helmet was described by Army test pilots as a 'substantial risk of multiple deaths', but the DFSB found it was 'very unlikely' to have caused the disorientation in this instance. 'While both AATES and Standards Section test and evaluation reports agreed that there were deficiencies relating to attitude presentation, the two agencies disagreed on the severity of the hazard,' the report said. The DFSB made 46 recommendations, including improvements to fatigue management, minimum night flying altitudes over water, and better training for spatial disorientation. The Defence Aviation Authority has accepted all recommendations. The report is one of the most complex aviation investigations conducted by Defence. Separate probes by the Inspector-General of the ADF, Comcare, and the Queensland coroner remain ongoing.
Perth Now
21-05-2025
- General
- Perth Now
Final moments before Taipan crash revealed
A military pilot's last-second evasive manoeuvre likely saved four lives during a catastrophic Army helicopter crash in the Whitsundays, a new investigation has revealed. Captain Danniel Lyon, who died alongside co-pilot Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class 2 Phillip Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs, managed to avoid a mid-air collision despite losing control of his MRH-90 Taipan, according to a 228-page report by the Defence Flight Safety Bureau (DFSB). The crash occurred on July 28, 2023, during Exercise Talisman Sabre, when the Taipan, call sign Bushman 83, plunged into the ocean off Hamilton Island while flying in formation with three other helicopters. Victims of the MRH-90 Taipan crash (from left) Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Captain Danniel Lyon, Corporal Alex Naggs and Warrant Officer Class 2 Joseph Laycock. Credit: News Corp Australia The DFSB concluded the primary cause was spatial disorientation, with Captain Lyon and Lieutenant Nugent becoming disoriented for 21 seconds before impact. However, in the final moments, Captain Lyon rolled the aircraft to the right, diverting it from a potential collision course with Bushman 82. 'During the two and a half seconds after the pushover, (flight data recorder) analysis indicates that the relative distance between the two aircraft decreased from approximately 100 metres to 50 metres,' the report said. 'In response to this increasing closure, it is likely (Captain Lyon) acted to avoid a potential mid-air collision with BSMN 82 by executing an avoidance turn to the right.' Royal Australian Navy personnel assisted in recovering helicopter wreckage from the crash site. Credit: Supplied The report found Captain Lyon's action, taken while the aircraft was 'unrecoverable', likely prevented further loss of life. Cockpit audio captured a calm and focused exchange between Captain Lyon and Lieutenant Nugent just seconds before the crash. 'It's getting dicey,' Captain Lyon said five seconds into a left-hand turn through rain showers. Moments later, he told Lieutenant Nugent, 'I'll just get around the corner for you mate … while we're dealing with the rain shower.' As they climbed, Captain Lyon asked: 'Have you still got em?' referring to the aircraft ahead. Lieutenant Nugent replied, 'Yeah, still get em mate.' Royal Australian Navy Clearance Divers and Queensland Police Service during the recovery. Credit: Supplied Investigators believe this exchange marked the moment Captain Lyon lost visual contact with the Bushman 82 helicopter. He then began climbing through poor visibility and attempted quick manoeuvres to regain sight of the aircraft, rolling sharply right and then left. Neither Captain Lyon nor co-pilot Lieutenant Nugent appeared to notice a critical change in the aircraft's pitch, from nose-up to nose-down, as their helicopter climbed above the rest of the formation Unaware of the aircraft's downward attitude, Captain Lyon pitched down further, inadvertently pushing the aircraft into a fatal nose-down descent. In the final seconds before impact, Captain Lyon recognised that his plummeting helicopter, Bushman 83, was on a collision course with Bushman 82. Despite knowing his own chopper was unrecoverable, he took immediate evasive action, rolling sharply to the right in a final act that likely saved the lives of the four crew aboard Bushman 82. Bushman 83 hit the water at 10:36:25pm, travelling at 259km/h. The four men were killed instantly. Captain Lyon's last-second evasive manoeuvre likely saved four lives during the catastrophic Army helicopter crash in the Whitsundays. Credit: Supplied The DFSB noted that fatigue likely contributed to the spatial disorientation. Both Captain Lyon and Lieutenant Nugent had been sleeping in tents at Proserpine Airport in the days prior and waited inside the aircraft for two hours before takeoff. The investigation also assessed whether the TopOwl 5.10 helmet, criticised in test reports for its inverted pitch and roll displays when pilots turn their heads, contributed to the crash. The helmet was described by Army test pilots as a 'substantial risk of multiple deaths', but the DFSB found it was 'very unlikely' to have caused the disorientation in this instance. 'While both AATES and Standards Section test and evaluation reports agreed that there were deficiencies relating to attitude presentation, the two agencies disagreed on the severity of the hazard,' the report said. The report into the crash is one of the most complex aviation investigations conducted by Defence. Credit: NCA NewsWire The DFSB made 46 recommendations, including improvements to fatigue management, minimum night flying altitudes over water, and better training for spatial disorientation. The Defence Aviation Authority has accepted all recommendations. The report is one of the most complex aviation investigations conducted by Defence. Separate probes by the Inspector-General of the ADF, Comcare, and the Queensland coroner remain ongoing.
Perth Now
21-05-2025
- Perth Now
Army pilot took 'evasive action' before fatal crash
The pilot of an army chopper that crashed and killed all four on board took action to avoid a mid-air collision with another aircraft, a defence report reveals. The Aviation Safety Investigation Report into the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash on July 28, 2023 was released on Wednesday. Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs were killed when their helicopter crashed into waters in the Whitsundays during Exercise Talisman Sabre. The investigation found the primary cause of the tragedy was "spatial disorientation", which happens when a pilot misperceives the position of their aircraft in relation to the surrounding environment. It concluded that the pilots were likely experiencing a level of fatigue shown to "impede optimal performance" and increase susceptibility to spatial disorientation. "The estimated level of fatigue ... was considered sufficient to affect their actions and decisions in the event," the report said. The crew, from the Sydney-based 6th Aviation Regiment, were flying in a helicopter given the call-sign Bushman 83, which was the third in a formation of four aircraft as part of a training exercise. The report found that after making a turn, Bushman 83 climbed more than 100 feet within 14 seconds. Cockpit voice recordings revealed there were no communications between the choppers for the period of the climb. But a recording from inside Bushman 83 heard the co-pilot ask "have you still got ('em)". The aircraft pilot replied "yeah still got ('em) mate". It was found the aircraft pilot "almost certainly" lost sight of the helicopter ahead in the formation, Bushman 82. The report stated the aircraft pilot of Bushman 83 likely didn't know the chopper was facing nose down and combined with a lack of recognition of the aircraft's increasing airspeed "resulted in a very high and unrecoverable rate of descent towards the water". The two helicopters came within 50m of each other, with Bushman 83's aircraft captain taking action to avoid a mid-air collision. The report found the helicopters were conducting manoeuvres during rain showers which limited visibility. The chopper was flying with its cabin doors closed which also restricted visibility. The report identified 196 findings, resulting in 46 recommendations across the Defence Aviation Safety Program. All of the recommendations have been accepted by the Defence Aviation Authority, which has committed to their implementation. The aviation safety investigation has been labelled one of the most complex conducted by Defence in recent history. Defence All-hours Support Line (ASL) - 1800 628 036 Defence Member and Family Support - 1800 624 608 Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling - 1800 011 046 Lifeline - 13 11 14
