Latest news with #DefenceFlightSafetyBureau
ABC News
18-07-2025
- ABC News
Australian Army helicopter damaged in 'hard landing' during Talisman Sabre exercise in the NT
An Australian Army helicopter has been damaged during a multinational defence exercise in the Northern Territory, while all crew members on board avoided injury. A defence spokesperson said the Tiger helicopter experienced a "hard landing" on Wednesday evening while participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre near Timber Creek, about 300 kilometres south-west of Katherine. "The two aircrew aboard were unharmed and able to exit the helicopter safely," they said. The spokesperson said the 1st Aviation Regiment had "implemented a pause on unit flying operations" after the incident but "other rotary wing support to the exercise will continue". They said the Defence Flight Safety Bureau had deployed a team to the Northern Territory to start an "independent aviation investigation of the incident". Exercise Talisman Sabre involves 30,000 military personnel from 19 nations and is the largest combined training activity between the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and United States military. The biennial war games involve live firing and combat simulations across land, sea and air. The ADF permanently grounded its fleet of Taipan helicopters after a fatal crash during the exercise two years ago which killed Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class 2 Joseph "Phillip" Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs. A defence investigation into the crash later found evasive action taken by the pilot avoided more lives being lost. An ADF spokesperson told the ABC earlier this month both Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters would be used by the army during this year's exercise. Australian personnel were also expected to fly in three Taipans operated by New Zealand's Defence Force as part of the exercise when it formally commenced last weekend. "The Australian Army will deploy rotary-wing capabilities from the Battlefield Aviation Program, including the CH-47F Chinook and UH-60M Black Hawks to support movement of troops and equipment across the battlefield," they said. The ABC also confirmed the 1st Regiment's Tiger helicopters would provide armed reconnaissance support during the large-scale war drills.
Sydney Morning Herald
18-07-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Helicopter damaged, regiment grounded after ‘hard landing' in war games
A regiment of Tiger helicopters have been grounded, and an investigation launched, after one was damaged in the Northern Territory during the Talisman Sabre military war games this week. The army Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter experienced a 'hard landing', according to Defence, at Timber Creek in the Northern Territory on Wednesday. Two crew on board were unharmed and able to exit safely, Defence said in a statement. 'The aircraft sustained damage during the incident,' Defence said. 'The Director of the Defence Flight Safety Bureau has established an Aviation Safety Investigation Team to deploy to the Northern Territory to commence an independent aviation investigation of the incident. Loading 'To enable the conduct of this investigation the 1st Aviation Regiment has implemented a pause on unit flying operations. Other rotary wing support to the exercise will continue.' Defence did not provide further details about the incident. The Talisman Sabre exercises are Australia's largest training activities between the ADF and the United States military.
The Age
18-07-2025
- The Age
Helicopter damaged, regiment grounded after ‘hard landing' in war games
A regiment of Tiger helicopters have been grounded, and an investigation launched, after one was damaged in the Northern Territory during the Talisman Sabre military war games this week. The army Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter experienced a 'hard landing', according to Defence, at Timber Creek in the Northern Territory on Wednesday. Two crew on board were unharmed and able to exit safely, Defence said in a statement. 'The aircraft sustained damage during the incident,' Defence said. 'The Director of the Defence Flight Safety Bureau has established an Aviation Safety Investigation Team to deploy to the Northern Territory to commence an independent aviation investigation of the incident. Loading 'To enable the conduct of this investigation the 1st Aviation Regiment has implemented a pause on unit flying operations. Other rotary wing support to the exercise will continue.' Defence did not provide further details about the incident. The Talisman Sabre exercises are Australia's largest training activities between the ADF and the United States military.
West Australian
22-05-2025
- West Australian
Brave to the end: army helicopter crash victims hailed
Four crew killed in an army helicopter crash were "brave and selfless to the end", the defence minister says, confirming the government accepts all 46 recommendations of a safety report. The Aviation Safety Investigation Report into the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash off the Whitsunday Islands in Queensland 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 the sea during Exercise Talisman Sabre. Defence Minister Richard Marles thanked the Defence Flight Safety Bureau for their "tireless" work on the report and said every recommendation would be accepted by the government. The investigation, one of four into the crash, was an important step in understanding what occurred and learning from it, the minister told reporters in Brisbane on Thursday. "I would observe that the four crew who tragically lost their lives I'm absolutely certain were brave and selfless to the end," he said. "Our thoughts are very much with their families, and we continue to work with them." Mr Marles said the defence force was deeply focused on safety, but what defence did was inherently dangerous and it was important to "train for real". The Talisman Sabre exercise alongside US and other nations' forces was Australia's most significant annual exercise for such training, he said. The crash report 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 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. It said the pilot 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 helicopter was conducting manoeuvres during rain showers and flying with its cabin doors closed, factors that restricted visibility. 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
Perth Now
22-05-2025
- Perth Now
Brave to the end: army helicopter crash victims hailed
Four crew killed in an army helicopter crash were "brave and selfless to the end", the defence minister says, confirming the government accepts all 46 recommendations of a safety report. The Aviation Safety Investigation Report into the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash off the Whitsunday Islands in Queensland 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 the sea during Exercise Talisman Sabre. Defence Minister Richard Marles thanked the Defence Flight Safety Bureau for their "tireless" work on the report and said every recommendation would be accepted by the government. The investigation, one of four into the crash, was an important step in understanding what occurred and learning from it, the minister told reporters in Brisbane on Thursday. "I would observe that the four crew who tragically lost their lives I'm absolutely certain were brave and selfless to the end," he said. "Our thoughts are very much with their families, and we continue to work with them." Mr Marles said the defence force was deeply focused on safety, but what defence did was inherently dangerous and it was important to "train for real". The Talisman Sabre exercise alongside US and other nations' forces was Australia's most significant annual exercise for such training, he said. The crash report 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 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. It said the pilot 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 helicopter was conducting manoeuvres during rain showers and flying with its cabin doors closed, factors that restricted visibility. 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
