Latest news with #AustralianTransportSafetyBureau
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Fatal aircraft crash due to radio, visibility failures
Radio call failures and blocked visibility on two runways likely contributed to a mid-air light plane collision that killed two people, an aviation report has found. Former commercial pilot David Maddern and his wife Jan, both in their 60s, were killed when their Jabiru J430 collided midair with a Piper Pawnee glider tug aircraft on Queensland's Sunshine Coast in July 2023. The final Australian Transport Safety Bureau report found Mr Maddern's aircraft was unable to receive or transmit radio calls and trees blocked the view between two runways, saying it likely contributed to the crash. On the fateful morning, the Pawnee aircraft was returning to land at the non-controlled Caboolture aerodrome while Mr Maddern was preparing to depart from an intersecting runway. Pilots at Caboolture rely on making radio calls and visual cues - commonly called "alerted see-and-avoid" - to prevent crashes, safety bureau Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said. The Pawnee was due to touch down but then a Cessna 172, piloted by a solo student, crossed the runway and was unaware of the other aircraft. This led the Pawnee to abort the landing by applying power to begin climbing back into the air while radioing other pilots about the decision. But at the same time, Mr Maddern's aircraft lifted off from the intersecting runway. Mr Maddern started a left turn trying to avoid the Pawnee but the two aircraft collided at 130 feet, the ATSB found. The Jabiru plunged to the ground, killing Mr Maddern and his wife Jan. The Pawnee remained flyable despite damage to its left wing and was landed safely by the uninjured pilot. The ATSB investigation found the Pawnee pilot had made multiple radio calls about their intention to land and the decision to abort but did not hear any from Mr Maddern. "Based on the Jabiru pilot's apparent unawareness of the Pawnee until just before the collision, and most witnesses not recalling hearing any calls from the Jabiru throughout the event, it is likely that the Jabiru pilot could not transmit or hear radio calls," Mr Mitchell said. "Because of this, and a stand of trees between the intersecting runways that blocked visibility between them, neither pilot was aware of the other aircraft." The ATSB ruled the aerodrome operator did not effectively manage or inform pilots about the risk of the trees or buildings on the runway that could impact visibility. Since the crash, the aerodrome has prohibited simultaneous runway operations and mandated take-off radio calls. The investigation also found that the regulatory guidance that pilots relied on when using non-controlled aerodromes did not clearly define what an "active runway" was. The chief regulator, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, has decided to remove all references to the term "active runway" to prevent confusion. Mr Mitchell said the tragic accident highlights the risk of "see-and-avoid" strategies to prevent crashes. He urged pilots to mitigate the risks of the strategy by using two-way radio calls but also being mindful that communication can be missed or misinterpreted.
West Australian
a day ago
- General
- West Australian
Fatal aircraft crash due to radio, visibility failures
Radio call failures and blocked visibility on two runways likely contributed to a mid-air light plane collision that killed two people, an aviation report has found. Former commercial pilot David Maddern and his wife Jan, both in their 60s, were killed when their Jabiru J430 collided midair with a Piper Pawnee glider tug aircraft on Queensland's Sunshine Coast in July 2023. The final Australian Transport Safety Bureau report found Mr Maddern's aircraft was unable to receive or transmit radio calls and trees blocked the view between two runways, saying it likely contributed to the crash. On the fateful morning, the Pawnee aircraft was returning to land at the non-controlled Caboolture aerodrome while Mr Maddern was preparing to depart from an intersecting runway. Pilots at Caboolture rely on making radio calls and visual cues - commonly called "alerted see-and-avoid" - to prevent crashes, safety bureau Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said. The Pawnee was due to touch down but then a Cessna 172, piloted by a solo student, crossed the runway and was unaware of the other aircraft. This led the Pawnee to abort the landing by applying power to begin climbing back into the air while radioing other pilots about the decision. But at the same time, Mr Maddern's aircraft lifted off from the intersecting runway. Mr Maddern started a left turn trying to avoid the Pawnee but the two aircraft collided at 130 feet, the ATSB found. The Jabiru plunged to the ground, killing Mr Maddern and his wife Jan. The Pawnee remained flyable despite damage to its left wing and was landed safely by the uninjured pilot. The ATSB investigation found the Pawnee pilot had made multiple radio calls about their intention to land and the decision to abort but did not hear any from Mr Maddern. "Based on the Jabiru pilot's apparent unawareness of the Pawnee until just before the collision, and most witnesses not recalling hearing any calls from the Jabiru throughout the event, it is likely that the Jabiru pilot could not transmit or hear radio calls," Mr Mitchell said. "Because of this, and a stand of trees between the intersecting runways that blocked visibility between them, neither pilot was aware of the other aircraft." The ATSB ruled the aerodrome operator did not effectively manage or inform pilots about the risk of the trees or buildings on the runway that could impact visibility. Since the crash, the aerodrome has prohibited simultaneous runway operations and mandated take-off radio calls. The investigation also found that the regulatory guidance that pilots relied on when using non-controlled aerodromes did not clearly define what an "active runway" was. The chief regulator, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, has decided to remove all references to the term "active runway" to prevent confusion. Mr Mitchell said the tragic accident highlights the risk of "see-and-avoid" strategies to prevent crashes. He urged pilots to mitigate the risks of the strategy by using two-way radio calls but also being mindful that communication can be missed or misinterpreted.
Perth Now
a day ago
- General
- Perth Now
Fatal aircraft crash due to radio, visibility failures
Radio call failures and blocked visibility on two runways likely contributed to a mid-air light plane collision that killed two people, an aviation report has found. Former commercial pilot David Maddern and his wife Jan, both in their 60s, were killed when their Jabiru J430 collided midair with a Piper Pawnee glider tug aircraft on Queensland's Sunshine Coast in July 2023. The final Australian Transport Safety Bureau report found Mr Maddern's aircraft was unable to receive or transmit radio calls and trees blocked the view between two runways, saying it likely contributed to the crash. On the fateful morning, the Pawnee aircraft was returning to land at the non-controlled Caboolture aerodrome while Mr Maddern was preparing to depart from an intersecting runway. Pilots at Caboolture rely on making radio calls and visual cues - commonly called "alerted see-and-avoid" - to prevent crashes, safety bureau Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said. The Pawnee was due to touch down but then a Cessna 172, piloted by a solo student, crossed the runway and was unaware of the other aircraft. This led the Pawnee to abort the landing by applying power to begin climbing back into the air while radioing other pilots about the decision. But at the same time, Mr Maddern's aircraft lifted off from the intersecting runway. Mr Maddern started a left turn trying to avoid the Pawnee but the two aircraft collided at 130 feet, the ATSB found. The Jabiru plunged to the ground, killing Mr Maddern and his wife Jan. The Pawnee remained flyable despite damage to its left wing and was landed safely by the uninjured pilot. The ATSB investigation found the Pawnee pilot had made multiple radio calls about their intention to land and the decision to abort but did not hear any from Mr Maddern. "Based on the Jabiru pilot's apparent unawareness of the Pawnee until just before the collision, and most witnesses not recalling hearing any calls from the Jabiru throughout the event, it is likely that the Jabiru pilot could not transmit or hear radio calls," Mr Mitchell said. "Because of this, and a stand of trees between the intersecting runways that blocked visibility between them, neither pilot was aware of the other aircraft." The ATSB ruled the aerodrome operator did not effectively manage or inform pilots about the risk of the trees or buildings on the runway that could impact visibility. Since the crash, the aerodrome has prohibited simultaneous runway operations and mandated take-off radio calls. The investigation also found that the regulatory guidance that pilots relied on when using non-controlled aerodromes did not clearly define what an "active runway" was. The chief regulator, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, has decided to remove all references to the term "active runway" to prevent confusion. Mr Mitchell said the tragic accident highlights the risk of "see-and-avoid" strategies to prevent crashes. He urged pilots to mitigate the risks of the strategy by using two-way radio calls but also being mindful that communication can be missed or misinterpreted.
West Australian
28-05-2025
- General
- West Australian
ATSB release preliminary report into tragic Ogilvie plane crash that killed 67yo pilot Eric Roulston
The pilot killed in a fatal light plane crash earlier this year texted a maintenance worker 18 minutes into the fateful flight that he was worried about the oil temperature, a preliminary report has revealed. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau released a preliminary report on Wednesday outlining the findings collected so far in its investigation into a deadly crash involving a Cessna 150 light aircraft near Ogilvie in the Mid West. About 11.15am on March 21, 2025, a motorist reported that a Cessna 150M singe-engine aircraft named VH‑WWU had crashed into terrain in Ogilvie, about 84km north of Geraldton. The pilot, 67-year-old Eric 'Rollo' Roulston — a stalwart of the regional aviation scene who operated a charter business out of Shark Bay — was the sole occupant of the aircraft and did not survive the crash. According to ATSB's preliminary report, the aircraft had departed Geraldton Airport on a planned ferry flight to Shark Bay, taking off roughly 75 minutes before the wreckage was reported. Eighteen minutes into the flight, Mr Roulston texted a staff member at a Geraldton-based maintenance organisation that had released the aircraft from maintenance three days prior. 'In the text, the pilot was positive about the aircraft's performance, but noted a slightly higher than usual oil temperature,' ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said. 'The temperature shown in the photo was towards the upper end of the normal range, but below the 240°F maximum oil temperature limit.' Mr Roulston's text message read: 'WWU flies beautiful, smooth, and tight. Oil temp a little high for a cool day so we might have to look at fitting those coolers back onto WWU. I'd hate to see the rings suffer.' The report stated the maintenance worker acknowledged the message and sent a reply, which was delivered to Mr Roulston's phone at 10.18am, indicating the device was still functioning at that time. Witnesses at Geraldton Airport said Mr Roulston appeared unwell prior to take-off, and he had reportedly mentioned experiencing gastroenteritis in the days leading up to the flight. However, witnesses did not observe any obvious speech or physical impairments at the time. 'The ATSB's ongoing investigation will include the collection and review of all available medical history and post-mortem information for the pilot,' Mr Mitchell said. 'It will also include examination and review of all the other evidence gathered, including CCTV and CTAF recordings, aircraft, pilot and operator documentation, witness reports, the aircraft's maintenance history, and the evidence gathered at the accident site itself.' Initial ATSB findings show the wreckage trail stretched about 23m. Impact marks suggest the aircraft struck the ground at high speed in a nose-down position, with no post-impact fire recorded. 'No pre-impact defects were identified and bending and damage to the propeller was consistent with the engine running at the time of impact,' Mr Mitchell said. Weather conditions on the day of the crash were clear, with light winds of up to 5kt and a temperature of 34C. In a tragic twist, Mr Roulston's 23-year-old son Bradleigh, also a pilot, lost his life in an another aviation tragedy while on a goat-culling operation in the Gascoyne 17 years ago. A final report, including safety analysis and findings, will be released by the ATSB at the conclusion of its investigation.
The Age
27-05-2025
- The Age
Report reveals Qantas safety lapses after turbulence injures crew
A Qantas crew member's leg and ankle were broken, and another continued to work for days with concussion symptoms, after they were injured during severe turbulence on descent to Brisbane last year. All up, three flight attendants were injured – one seriously – as the Boeing 737-800 hit turbulence as it passed through 11,400 feet, about 36 kilometres south-east of Brisbane. An Australian Transport Safety Bureau report on the incident, involving a plane carrying 143 passengers on May 4 last year, was released on Tuesday. The crew member who suffered broken bones as flight QF520 from Sydney came in to land was unable to move from the rear galley floor. Two cabin crew, including the customer service manager, and two passengers – an off-duty cabin crew employee and a travelling doctor – remained with the injured crew member, unrestrained, during the landing. Loading The stricken flight attendant had been in the process of taking their seat when the plane struck turbulence. They rose in the air, struck their head on the ceiling, and landed heavily on their feet, resulting in the breaks. The attendant was later diagnosed with two breaks in their ankle and another in their leg, which required surgery. According to the report, the captain did not recall receiving any requests for more time to prepare the cabin for landing, and twice directed all uninjured cabin crew and passengers to return to their seats.
