Latest news with #WilliamJennings
The Age
2 days ago
- General
- The Age
‘Tragic, unnecessary': Missed chance before plane crash
A phone call minutes before a deadly firefighting crash was a missed opportunity to save the lives of those on board during the preventable tragedy, an investigation has found. Australian Transport Safety Bureau chief commissioner Angus Mitchell released a report on Thursday into the crash of the twin-engine Gulfstream 695A aircraft near Mount Isa, in the Queensland outback. 'This was a tragic and entirely preventable and unnecessary accident that took three precious lives,' he said. 'The dangers of aircraft owners and pilots engaging in practices that deliberately circumvent critical safety defences cannot be underestimated.' The aircraft was conducting aerial fire surveillance operations for bushfires in the state's north-west on November 4, 2024. There were radio communication issues with the pilot indicating a lack of oxygen in the body, a condition known as hypoxia, before the plane crashed near Cloncurry. A pilot and two camera operators, including 22-year-old American William Jennings, were on board the plane. It was operated by AGAIR, a Victoria-based firm that specialises in aerial firefighting.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Tragic, unnecessary': Missed chance before plane crash
A phone call minutes before a deadly firefighting crash was a missed opportunity to save the lives of those on board during the preventable tragedy, an investigation has found. Australian Transport Safety Bureau chief commissioner Angus Mitchell released a report on Thursday into the crash of the twin-engine Gulfstream 695A aircraft near Mount Isa, in the Queensland outback. 'This was a tragic and entirely preventable and unnecessary accident that took three precious lives,' he said. 'The dangers of aircraft owners and pilots engaging in practices that deliberately circumvent critical safety defences cannot be underestimated.' The aircraft was conducting aerial fire surveillance operations for bushfires in the state's north-west on November 4, 2024. There were radio communication issues with the pilot indicating a lack of oxygen in the body, a condition known as hypoxia, before the plane crashed near Cloncurry. A pilot and two camera operators, including 22-year-old American William Jennings, were on board the plane. It was operated by AGAIR, a Victoria-based firm that specialises in aerial firefighting.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- General
- The Advertiser
Plane defect 'not mentioned' minutes before fatal crash
A firefighting plane that crashed and killed three people in outback Queensland had a "long-term intermittent defect" which affected cabin pressure, an investigation has found. And a phone call made minutes before the tragedy was a "missed opportunity" to save their lives. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau released a report on Thursday into the crash of the twin-engine charter plane. The aircraft was conducting aerial fire surveillance operations for bushfires in Queensland's northwest on November 4, 2024. There were radio communication issues with the pilot, indicating he was suffering from a lack of oxygen in the body known as hypoxia, before the plane crashed near Cloncurry, the bureau said in the report. A pilot and two camera operators, including 22-year-old American William Jennings, were on board the plane, operated by AGAIR, which specialises in aerial firefighting and agricultural services. The bureau found the aircraft had a long-term intermittent defect with the pressurisation system that reduced the maximum attainable cabin pressure. Senior AGAIR management had tried to rectify the defect, but did not formally record it, communicate it to the safety manager, undertake a formal risk assessment of the issue, or provide explicit procedures to pilots for managing it. "Instead, AGAIR management personnel participated in and encouraged the practice of continuing operations in the aircraft at a cabin altitude that required the use of oxygen, without access to a suitable oxygen supply," the bureau said. About 37 minutes before the crash, the Airservices Australia air traffic management director and shift manager spoke to AGAIR's head of flying operations by phone to advise that it had lost radio communications with the plane for an extended period. During the six-minute call, the AGAIR head was advised the pilot had exhibited symptoms of hypoxia, and air traffic control had initiated 'oxygen' radio calls. The AGAIR head was also informed traffic control had regained direct communication with the pilot and no longer had concerns for the aircraft. "At no point during the telephone conversation did the HOFO (head of flying operations) advise ... that the aircraft had a known intermittent pressurisation defect as it did not occur to them to do so," the report said. "The telephone conversation to AGAIR was a missed opportunity to communicate critical safety information about the aircraft, that was directly relevant to the conversation, at a time when ATC (air traffic control) could have taken further action to instruct the pilot to descend to a safe altitude." The safety bureau has recommended AGAIR seek an independent review of their organisational structure and oversight of operational activities. "This accident highlights the dangers of operational practices that intentionally circumvent critical safety defences," the report said. "The acceptance of these actions at an individual and organisational level normalises that behaviour and exposes the operation to an unnecessarily increased level of risk." AGAIR has been contacted for comment. A firefighting plane that crashed and killed three people in outback Queensland had a "long-term intermittent defect" which affected cabin pressure, an investigation has found. And a phone call made minutes before the tragedy was a "missed opportunity" to save their lives. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau released a report on Thursday into the crash of the twin-engine charter plane. The aircraft was conducting aerial fire surveillance operations for bushfires in Queensland's northwest on November 4, 2024. There were radio communication issues with the pilot, indicating he was suffering from a lack of oxygen in the body known as hypoxia, before the plane crashed near Cloncurry, the bureau said in the report. A pilot and two camera operators, including 22-year-old American William Jennings, were on board the plane, operated by AGAIR, which specialises in aerial firefighting and agricultural services. The bureau found the aircraft had a long-term intermittent defect with the pressurisation system that reduced the maximum attainable cabin pressure. Senior AGAIR management had tried to rectify the defect, but did not formally record it, communicate it to the safety manager, undertake a formal risk assessment of the issue, or provide explicit procedures to pilots for managing it. "Instead, AGAIR management personnel participated in and encouraged the practice of continuing operations in the aircraft at a cabin altitude that required the use of oxygen, without access to a suitable oxygen supply," the bureau said. About 37 minutes before the crash, the Airservices Australia air traffic management director and shift manager spoke to AGAIR's head of flying operations by phone to advise that it had lost radio communications with the plane for an extended period. During the six-minute call, the AGAIR head was advised the pilot had exhibited symptoms of hypoxia, and air traffic control had initiated 'oxygen' radio calls. The AGAIR head was also informed traffic control had regained direct communication with the pilot and no longer had concerns for the aircraft. "At no point during the telephone conversation did the HOFO (head of flying operations) advise ... that the aircraft had a known intermittent pressurisation defect as it did not occur to them to do so," the report said. "The telephone conversation to AGAIR was a missed opportunity to communicate critical safety information about the aircraft, that was directly relevant to the conversation, at a time when ATC (air traffic control) could have taken further action to instruct the pilot to descend to a safe altitude." The safety bureau has recommended AGAIR seek an independent review of their organisational structure and oversight of operational activities. "This accident highlights the dangers of operational practices that intentionally circumvent critical safety defences," the report said. "The acceptance of these actions at an individual and organisational level normalises that behaviour and exposes the operation to an unnecessarily increased level of risk." AGAIR has been contacted for comment. A firefighting plane that crashed and killed three people in outback Queensland had a "long-term intermittent defect" which affected cabin pressure, an investigation has found. And a phone call made minutes before the tragedy was a "missed opportunity" to save their lives. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau released a report on Thursday into the crash of the twin-engine charter plane. The aircraft was conducting aerial fire surveillance operations for bushfires in Queensland's northwest on November 4, 2024. There were radio communication issues with the pilot, indicating he was suffering from a lack of oxygen in the body known as hypoxia, before the plane crashed near Cloncurry, the bureau said in the report. A pilot and two camera operators, including 22-year-old American William Jennings, were on board the plane, operated by AGAIR, which specialises in aerial firefighting and agricultural services. The bureau found the aircraft had a long-term intermittent defect with the pressurisation system that reduced the maximum attainable cabin pressure. Senior AGAIR management had tried to rectify the defect, but did not formally record it, communicate it to the safety manager, undertake a formal risk assessment of the issue, or provide explicit procedures to pilots for managing it. "Instead, AGAIR management personnel participated in and encouraged the practice of continuing operations in the aircraft at a cabin altitude that required the use of oxygen, without access to a suitable oxygen supply," the bureau said. About 37 minutes before the crash, the Airservices Australia air traffic management director and shift manager spoke to AGAIR's head of flying operations by phone to advise that it had lost radio communications with the plane for an extended period. During the six-minute call, the AGAIR head was advised the pilot had exhibited symptoms of hypoxia, and air traffic control had initiated 'oxygen' radio calls. The AGAIR head was also informed traffic control had regained direct communication with the pilot and no longer had concerns for the aircraft. "At no point during the telephone conversation did the HOFO (head of flying operations) advise ... that the aircraft had a known intermittent pressurisation defect as it did not occur to them to do so," the report said. "The telephone conversation to AGAIR was a missed opportunity to communicate critical safety information about the aircraft, that was directly relevant to the conversation, at a time when ATC (air traffic control) could have taken further action to instruct the pilot to descend to a safe altitude." The safety bureau has recommended AGAIR seek an independent review of their organisational structure and oversight of operational activities. "This accident highlights the dangers of operational practices that intentionally circumvent critical safety defences," the report said. "The acceptance of these actions at an individual and organisational level normalises that behaviour and exposes the operation to an unnecessarily increased level of risk." AGAIR has been contacted for comment. A firefighting plane that crashed and killed three people in outback Queensland had a "long-term intermittent defect" which affected cabin pressure, an investigation has found. And a phone call made minutes before the tragedy was a "missed opportunity" to save their lives. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau released a report on Thursday into the crash of the twin-engine charter plane. The aircraft was conducting aerial fire surveillance operations for bushfires in Queensland's northwest on November 4, 2024. There were radio communication issues with the pilot, indicating he was suffering from a lack of oxygen in the body known as hypoxia, before the plane crashed near Cloncurry, the bureau said in the report. A pilot and two camera operators, including 22-year-old American William Jennings, were on board the plane, operated by AGAIR, which specialises in aerial firefighting and agricultural services. The bureau found the aircraft had a long-term intermittent defect with the pressurisation system that reduced the maximum attainable cabin pressure. Senior AGAIR management had tried to rectify the defect, but did not formally record it, communicate it to the safety manager, undertake a formal risk assessment of the issue, or provide explicit procedures to pilots for managing it. "Instead, AGAIR management personnel participated in and encouraged the practice of continuing operations in the aircraft at a cabin altitude that required the use of oxygen, without access to a suitable oxygen supply," the bureau said. About 37 minutes before the crash, the Airservices Australia air traffic management director and shift manager spoke to AGAIR's head of flying operations by phone to advise that it had lost radio communications with the plane for an extended period. During the six-minute call, the AGAIR head was advised the pilot had exhibited symptoms of hypoxia, and air traffic control had initiated 'oxygen' radio calls. The AGAIR head was also informed traffic control had regained direct communication with the pilot and no longer had concerns for the aircraft. "At no point during the telephone conversation did the HOFO (head of flying operations) advise ... that the aircraft had a known intermittent pressurisation defect as it did not occur to them to do so," the report said. "The telephone conversation to AGAIR was a missed opportunity to communicate critical safety information about the aircraft, that was directly relevant to the conversation, at a time when ATC (air traffic control) could have taken further action to instruct the pilot to descend to a safe altitude." The safety bureau has recommended AGAIR seek an independent review of their organisational structure and oversight of operational activities. "This accident highlights the dangers of operational practices that intentionally circumvent critical safety defences," the report said. "The acceptance of these actions at an individual and organisational level normalises that behaviour and exposes the operation to an unnecessarily increased level of risk." AGAIR has been contacted for comment.
Perth Now
3 days ago
- General
- Perth Now
Plane defect 'not mentioned' minutes before fatal crash
A firefighting plane that crashed and killed three people in outback Queensland had a "long-term intermittent defect" which affected cabin pressure, an investigation has found. And a phone call made minutes before the tragedy was a "missed opportunity" to save their lives. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau released a report on Thursday into the crash of the twin-engine charter plane. The aircraft was conducting aerial fire surveillance operations for bushfires in Queensland's northwest on November 4, 2024. There were radio communication issues with the pilot, indicating he was suffering from a lack of oxygen in the body known as hypoxia, before the plane crashed near Cloncurry, the bureau said in the report. A pilot and two camera operators, including 22-year-old American William Jennings, were on board the plane, operated by AGAIR, which specialises in aerial firefighting and agricultural services. The bureau found the aircraft had a long-term intermittent defect with the pressurisation system that reduced the maximum attainable cabin pressure. Senior AGAIR management had tried to rectify the defect, but did not formally record it, communicate it to the safety manager, undertake a formal risk assessment of the issue, or provide explicit procedures to pilots for managing it. "Instead, AGAIR management personnel participated in and encouraged the practice of continuing operations in the aircraft at a cabin altitude that required the use of oxygen, without access to a suitable oxygen supply," the bureau said. About 37 minutes before the crash, the Airservices Australia air traffic management director and shift manager spoke to AGAIR's head of flying operations by phone to advise that it had lost radio communications with the plane for an extended period. During the six-minute call, the AGAIR head was advised the pilot had exhibited symptoms of hypoxia, and air traffic control had initiated 'oxygen' radio calls. The AGAIR head was also informed traffic control had regained direct communication with the pilot and no longer had concerns for the aircraft. "At no point during the telephone conversation did the HOFO (head of flying operations) advise ... that the aircraft had a known intermittent pressurisation defect as it did not occur to them to do so," the report said. "The telephone conversation to AGAIR was a missed opportunity to communicate critical safety information about the aircraft, that was directly relevant to the conversation, at a time when ATC (air traffic control) could have taken further action to instruct the pilot to descend to a safe altitude." The safety bureau has recommended AGAIR seek an independent review of their organisational structure and oversight of operational activities. "This accident highlights the dangers of operational practices that intentionally circumvent critical safety defences," the report said. "The acceptance of these actions at an individual and organisational level normalises that behaviour and exposes the operation to an unnecessarily increased level of risk." AGAIR has been contacted for comment.
ABC News
3 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Final report into fatal outback plane crash blames pressure issue for lack of oxygen, finds operator AGAIR was aware
A pressurisation defect that deprived the pilot of oxygen resulted in a fatal plane crash that claimed the lives of three people in outback Queensland in 2023, a transport safety investigation has found. The Gulfstream 695A aircraft took off from Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, on November 4, 2023 and was on its way to photograph fire zones north of Mount Isa. But the plane crashed about 55 kilometres south-east of Cloncurry in open bushland and burned up after impact. On board were a pilot and two camera operators, including 22-year-old William Jennings from the United States, all of whom died in the crash. The flight was operated by operated by Victorian company AGAIR. In its final report, released this morning, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) found the pilot was experiencing hypoxia when the crash occurred. ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said the "aircraft's pressurisation system was not reliably maintaining the required cabin altitude", which had been in issue for "many months". "This led some company pilots to employ a variety of actions in the aircraft to manage the potential and deadly effects of hypoxia, including at times briefly descending to lower altitudes, and improperly using emergency oxygen systems," he said. On the day of the accident, the pilot had descended from 28,000 feet to 15,000 feet for about six minutes before climbing back up to 28,000 ft, he said. "Later, while the aircraft was ... nearing Cloncurry at 28,000 ft, both power levers were probably reduced, possibly with the intention of undertaking a similar descent," the ATSB report found. "This caused the aircraft's speed to decay, before it ultimately entered a steep, descending, anticlockwise turn. Mr Mitchell said it was almost certainly due to pilot control inputs made in an unsuccessful attempt to regain control. "The ATSB found the onset of hypoxia during the flight significantly degraded the pilot's ability to safely operate the aircraft, and it is possible that at stages the pilot also experienced some loss of consciousness," he said. The ATSB said the pressurisation defect in the plane was known to senior AGAIR management, who attempted to have it rectified. "However, they did not formally record the defect, communicate it to the safety manager, undertake a formal risk assessment of it, or provide explicit procedures to pilots for managing it," Mr Mitchell said. An online fundraiser to bring Mr Jennings home received over $92,625 US in donations — about $142,000 AUD. In the fundraiser, his family said William was "a bright light extinguished too soon". "William was a 22-year-old promising mechanical engineer who recently graduated from Northeastern University," his family said. "He had an exciting life ahead of him, but tragically lost his life in a plane accident while surveying fires in Australia. "William was known to bring light to any room he walked into, and his sense of humour was infectious. "He was an avid hiker and lover of nature, always seeking new adventures in life." The other two people on board the aircraft are yet to be publicly identified.
