Outlook AHSA Newsletter August 2023

DerekB20/08/202311/03/2024

The August 2023 edition of Outlook / AHSA News was distributed to members recently.

This edition can be read online in the viewer below.

1995 Cessna 310R VH-MFK crashed 19 km north-north-east of Coolamon, NSW on 28 July 1995. The aircraft was on an IFR charter flight from Longreach to Wagga and at 1943 hours reported at 37 DME Wagga, leaving 9000ft on descent. The pilot was requested to call Wagga Wagga Tower at 25 DME, but failed to do so. The wreckage of the aircraft was subsequently located near Coolamon, some 30 NM NNW of Wagga, following an apparent high speed, in-flight breakup. The weather in the area at the time is reported to have been poor. In addition, the wife of the pilot is reported to have spoken to her husband by telephone at about 1940. It is believed that he told her that the aircraft had suffered a double gyro failure. There were 4 fatalities. Sources: ATSB, aviation-safety.net website

2004 Piper PA-31T Cheyenne II VH-TNP operated by D&R Henderson Pty Ltd crashed 34 km south-east of Benalla, Victoria on 28 July 2004. The aircraft was on a private instrument flight rules flight from Bankstown to Benalla with with one pilot and five passengers aboard when it collided with terrain 34 km south-east of Benalla. All occupants were fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and fire. Instrument meteorological conditions existed at the time and the pilot had reported commencing a Global Positioning System (GPS) non-precision approach (NPA) to Benalla. The experienced pilot was familiar with the aircraft and its navigation and autoflight systems. The flight did not follow the usual route to Benalla, but diverted south along the coast before tracking to the northernmost initial approach waypoint BLAED of the Benalla Runway 26L GPS NPA. While tracking to BLAED the aircraft diverged left of track, without the pilot being aware of the error. The air traffic control Route Adherence Monitoring (RAM) system triggered alerts, but controllers believed the aircraft was tracking to a different waypoint and did not question the pilot about the aircraft's position. The destruction of the aircraft navigation and flight control systems did not permit verification of their operational status. The investigation found that instructions to controllers relating to RAM alerts could be ambiguous. Actions were taken by Airservices Australia to enhance alerts and clarify controllers' responses to them. The occurrence drew pilots' attention to the need to pay careful attention to the use of automated flight and navigation systems and also demonstrated the need for effective communication between controllers and pilots to clarify any apparent tracking anomalies. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau's (ATSB) final report was released on 7 February 2006. In July 2008, during the subsequent coronial inquest, additional information about the possibility of dead reckoning navigation by the GPS receiver was provided. The ATSB investigation was reopened to examine that possibility and an amended report issued. That investigation found that dead reckoning navigation could not be positively established as there were inconsistencies between dead reckoning principles and the recorded radar data. Neither could it reconcile how a pilot would continue navigation by GPS with the alerts and warnings provided by the GPS receiver and the instrument indications. As a result of the reopened investigation, the ATSB issued a safety advisory notice alerting users of GPS navigation receivers to take appropriate action to ensure familiarity with dead-reckoning operation and any associated receiver-generated warning messages. Sources: ATSB, aviation-safety.net website

2005 In an incident rated serious, a Qantas Boeing 747 with 392 aboard had to divert from Frankfurt to Munich due to poor weather on 28 July 2005, and the remaining fuel load was below that required by CASA. Source: ATSB, Aviation Safety Investigation Report 200503675, 21 October 2005. via aph.gov.au website