(11-29-2017, 08:40 PM)kharon Wrote: The canary who owns the coal mine; provided he don’t sing.
SBG – Addendum.
Gee Whiz: as they say. I could, with a shove, accept that ATSB and CASA have a huge amount of skin in the Pel-Air game and there is a pressing need to defend their stance. Although how they expect anyone who can read and do ‘joined up’ writing to acquiesce to the current line of fable is just a little outside of my comprehension range.
I wonder how many have actually done the ‘reading’ and joined up the rather large red dots? The dots which can only lead to one, inescapable conclusion – someone was telling fairy stories to a Senate inquiry – well; in my opinion at least they were (for what that’s worth). In the beginning, there was a ‘parallel’ investigation. An almost unprecedented move. As part of that ‘investigation’ the weather forecasts, related to the journey were requested by the AILU (White) and received; so far, so good.
Where one of several wheels come off is when White (whether by accident or design, we don’t as yet know) declares that given the ‘available’ weather information (intimating that the aircrew ignored it) is a 'no brainer' guilty verdict - unimpeachable - what he fails to mention that they (the forecasts) were never transmitted.
Now then, picture yourself sitting in a quiet dark cockpit approaching a ‘critical decision point’ you glance at the clock, nudge sleeping beauty awake and say, something along the lines of “what’s the latest at Kickinatinalong (KATA)?” – “Dunno” mutters Sleeping Beauty “didn’t you get the latest?” “Nothing heard; they’re late – busy on HF tonight” you say – “stir ‘em up and see what’s what – PNR in 10 minutes”. With a little persistence, on the busy night time HF – eventually someone will check the fax and trot out the latest for KATA – then after a moment or three – “there’s an amended for KATA, you want it?”. “Oh yes please” say the crew. About four minutes later the aircraft is diverted to an acceptable alternate aerodrome. That is what happens in reality, when a forecast has not been relayed.
There are some perfectly acceptable reasons for an amended or even a routine forecast not being passed along; well, there are, it happens – no sweat if the operating crew are ‘on the ball’. This Pel-Air crew were lost in the Twilight Zone of fatigue and complacency; they should have known better, but much like the Lockhart crew they had been deserted and left to fend for themselves by the system, their operations manual, their C&T systems and the company – all under CASA ‘approval’ (acceptance if you want to split the hair).
As far as the Pel-Air crew was concerned everything was ‘groovy’ – routine and no problemo. Had the 0739 and the 0803 reports been passed, matters would have turned out differently - alas.
So much for the flight crew – bit players – they ditched, the rest is history and old hat
What has never been examined is why White (MAILU) melded the weather reports not transmitted into the ‘CAIR 09/3’ travesty. It is (IMO) designed to be read as though the weather reports had been relayed – part of the transcript etc. Which, in turn, begs the question why did CASA persist to support their claims of gross pilot error, through a Senate inquiry? That, boys and girls requires some bloody strong motivation – it was hellish risky. Had there been a quiet withdrawal to a ‘mediated’ ground, such as. “It has come to our attention that that two crucial weather updates were never received by the flight, this, whilst casting some doubt over crew procedures and flight conduct, provides enough grounds to withdraw ‘administrative action’ against the captain." " We as the safety authority, will be conducting an in depth audit of the company procedures, SOP and training”. Fair, yes; reasonable, yes; acceptable, responsible action from the ‘authority’: yes.
But why, in the light of evidence CASA had before them did they continue to try and avoid the real issues?
But why, in the light of evidence CASA had before them did they do one of the slickest, quickest audits and acquittal of RCA in the history of this planet?
But why, in the light of evidence CASA had before them did they continue and persist in trying to convince a Senate investigation that ‘they’ had the right of it?
But why, in the light of evidence CASA had before them did they continue to embroil the ATSB is this nasty little pantomime?
But why, in the light of evidence CASA had before them did they continue; and, to this day continue, to try and lay all the blame on the flight crew?
Albo washed his hands and turned the dogs loose; Truss tried and ended up with the ASRR which is now an officially ‘forgotten’ document – deemed an inutile opinion. Chester has trouble tying his boot laces without ‘advice’. Three ministers, two governments and CASA just keep on rollin’ along.
I could, I suppose, put it all in simple terms – porky pies have been told– lots of ‘em; the last being the invisible manning’s 531 page edifice which almost, but not quite, fools most of the people, most of the time.
Senators, they are taking the Mickey along with the money and laughing their collective tits off – Hood included. The canary who owns the coal mine, provided he don’t sing. Land rights for gay whales and icebergs in the Yarra don’t signify; not when the integrity and intelligence of a Senate committee is being used to wipe big smiles off smug faces.
P2 has, in some nicely summed up factual data, laid all of this out for you; get one or two of the bright young things to hunt it down and bring it to an end. Before it’s all too little; too late.
Toot (last translation ever) toot. Do try to keep up…….
Sandy - Thank you K, your succinct and balanced dissertation nails it perfectly. Nails it with precision and judgment. The two young crew members were brainwashed into believing that the system is so rigorous and all encompassing that it looks after just about every contingency, including passing on crucial information. A system based on fear of the all powerful independent regulator CASA. A system deliberately designed to cower and stultify the untrustworthy scoundrels that recklessly take the unsuspecting into the fearful skies. A system that is not a partnership of responsible equals, but a master and slave system full of strict liability traps with outrageously excessive penalties. A system which is, perversely or inadvertently, aligned to favour the cunning and unscrupulous over the fair and conscientious.
Top post and totally agree Sandy, K unfortunately has taken on the undesirable task of deciphering my research discoveries, ramblings, observations etc. and without exception has been able to translate to at least a level that the average punter can understand...
Now that we are getting to the pointy end of this horrendous tale of unbelievable political/bureaucratic obfuscation, conflict of interest, malfeasance, corruption and self-serving public servant arse covering; I have decided it is about time we re-visited the PelAir chronology/timeline...
"...Senators, they are taking the Mickey along with the money and laughing their collective tits off – Hood included. The canary who owns the coal mine, provided he don’t sing..."
Based on recent FOI information, combined with many, many more factual dots, dashes and educated analogy I believe the final PelAir portrait will overwhelmingly prove that this sad and sick 8+ year episode in Australian aviation safety history should be properly and independently investigated and prosecuted ASAP -
Pel-Air: A coverup: a litany of lies?
Chronology; colour coded to help with making your mind up.
Green - Go head.
Amber - proceed with caution.
Red - Stop and think about it. - Handing over::::-
Quote:Quote:Pel-Air ATSB/CASA Investigation (AO-2009-072) Chronology from 18/11/2009
– 30/11/2017:
18 November 2009: Ditching 3 NM south-west of Norfolk Island Aerodrome.
18 November 2009: ATSB notified of accident and ATSB subsequently notify CASA. The
ATSB decide to carry out an investigation and CASA decide to run a parallel
investigation, initiated 19 November.
19 November 2009: Pel-Air voluntarily suspend Westwind operation.
20 November 2009: Quote from page 97 of PelAir MKII Final report - "The ATSB asked CAAF for ATS records for the flight and the weather information that was provided to the flight crew of VH-NGA. CAAF forwarded the request to the ATS provider and then obtained the records in December 2009 to pass on to the ATSB. This included copies of the 0630 METAR, 0800 SPECI and 0830 SPECI."
23 November 2009: Richard White MALIU correspondence to ATSB Director Aviation Safety Investigations, Ian Sangston notifying CASA will be conducting a regulatory investigation into the actions of the flightcrew. Note that there is no reference to 'parallel investigations' under either the 2004 or 2010 MOU (ref link - #122 & #28).
23 November 2009: Richard White receives from Airservices Australia the complete list of Norfolk Island Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs) applicable to the occurrence flight timeframe. This included the Nadi non-relayed 0803 AMD TAF, which appears to be underlined (ref link - #122 & #85 )
25 November 2009: Greg Hood file note email (cc'd Jonathon Aleck, Terry Farquharson, John McCormick.). File note No.4 reference to flight recorder recovery would appear to show, at that point in time, that recovery was inevitable (ref link - #125 )
26 November 2009: CASA initiate a ‘Special Audit’ conducted between the 26/11/2009-
15/12/2009 at the Pel-Air Bases in Sydney, Adelaide and Nowra.
7 December 2009: Audit team meet with Pel-Air management to discuss a number of
deficiencies within the Westwind Operation. This was backed up by correspondence from
CASA on 9/12/2009.
8 December 2009: E-mail from ATSB to CASA raising the possibility of contributing to a
joint fund sharing arrangement to recover the black box and CASA advised they didn’t
have the necessary funds.
16 December 2009: CASA accept the Pel-Air ‘Management Action Plan’ which consisted
of three phases.
18 December 2009: Pel-Air successfully completed Phase 1 items and were able to
recommence domestic operations.
23-24 December 2009: CASA overseeing FOI of Pel-Air Eric Demarco issues 14 RCA and
a number of AO. The RCAs needed to be acquitted by 28/01/2010.
24th December 2009: Dominic James notice of suspension of CPL, ATPL, CIR pursuant
to CAR 265(1)(a). Also given notice to undertake examinations under CAR 5.38.
24 December 2009: Pel-Air successfully completed Phase 2 items and were able to
recommence international operations.
8 January 2010: CASA issue 7 more RCAs and several more AO, all of which Roger
Chambers the Audit Coordinator signed on behalf of several SAR team members.
8 January 2010: Audit Report completed.
3 February 2010: Video conference meeting between the ATSB and CASA to discuss
critical safety issue.
12 February 2010: Mr R White ALIU Manager contacts Mr Michael Watson the ATSB
‘investigator in charge’ to request a supporting letter that described the critical safety
issue.
26 February 2010: Mr Sangston Director of Aviation Safety Investigations writes to Mr
White addressing the critical safety issue with the requested supporting documentation.
19 March 2010: CASA LSD draw up and distribute ‘AT10-23 NORFOLK ISLAND SAFETY
ISSUE LEGAL DRAFT 19 MARCH.doc’.
20 March 2010: CASA internal e-mail that highlighted a 50:50 split within the CASA
inspectorate on when to divert to an alternate.
23 March 2010: ‘AT10-23 NORFOLK ISLAND SAFETY ISSUE LEGAL DRAFT 19
MARCH.doc’ approved for Mr White to send by CASA Corporate Relations and Strategy
(i.e. Grima and co).
23 March 2010: Dominic James licenses cancellation matter (CAR 265(1) (a)) was
originally set down for mention in the AAT.
26 March 2010: Mr White and CASA initial response to critical safety issue.
31 March 2010: ATSB e-mail Mr White ALIU Manager requesting information under S32
on Pel-Air’s Air Ambulance classification of Operations and Noumea French regulator
restrictions on Pel-Air Operations. Note: There is no record/copy of this e-mail.
14 April 2010: Mr White’s replies to ATSB e-mail 31 March 2010. Reference Senate
Inquiry page under ‘Additional information’ item 3.
22 April 2010: Follow-up meeting between ATSB and CASA (John Grima and co) on the
CSI matter was held in CASA’s Woden, ACT offices. Reference AQON 22/10/12 ATSB
(Hansard, pg 66).
15 June 2010: ATSB receive e-mail from Pel-Air detailing actions done in response to
CASA Special Audit.
21 July 2010: CAIR 09/3 completed.
28 July 2010: Quote from TSBC peer review report - "On 28 July 2010, CASA briefed the ATSB on the findings of its regulatory investigation into the ditching, which it had done in parallel with the ATSB investigation. Footnote 12 The team leader obtained a copy of the CASA investigation report in March 2011."
March 2011: (see 28 July 2010 ref above)
11 November 2011: Former Pel-Air Chief Pilot and recently appointed CASA FOI
(February 2011) Mr. Wickham participates (observer) in a CASA approval process for a
Pel-Air Check Pilot. Note: Wickham originally applied for a position with CASA as a Flight
Training Examiner in August 2010.
13 January 2010: ATSB issue preliminary report AO-2009-072.
26 March 2012: Mr Sangston approves Final Report draft release to the directly involved
parties (DIP) for comment on its factual accuracy. Comments were requested from DIP
by 23 April 2012.
16 July 2012: Draft 2 issued to DIP.
4 July 2012: The ATSB requested a copy of the CASA special audit report under a
section 32 notice. A copy of the report was received on 9 July 2012.
8 August 2012: Flight Nurse Karen Casey submits an FOI request with CASA FOI Legal
Services Division asking for a copy of the CASA Special Audit Report.
16 August 2012: ATSB Commission approve s25 release of Final Report AO-2009-072
and officially reclassify the ‘safety issue’ to minor.
30 August 2012: ATSB Final Report AO-2009-072 released.
31 August 2012: Final Report amended and re-issued.
3 September 2012: 4 Corners ‘Crash Landing’ program goes to air 8:30pm.
12 September 2012: E-mail chain (Carmody and Dolan) discussing Senator Xenophon’s
proposal for a possible Senate Inquiry into the ATSB Final report AO-2009-072 (the
tendentious bloggers e-mail).
13 September 2012: Senate referred the Aviation Accident Investigations (Pel-Air) to
the Senate Standing Committees on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport for inquiry
and report.
26 September 2012: CASA FOI and Finance officer (LSD) Jennifer Smith-Roberts
releases a redacted version of the CASA SAR to Karen Casey.
26 September 2012: RRAT committee request ATSB for documents to assist the
committee with its inquiry.
3 October 2012: Reply from ATSB (Dolan) to committee correspondence requesting
documentation.
19 October 2012: ATSB send RRAT Committee correspondence and attachment in
response to submissions from Aherne, Quinn and Currall, which had been approved by
the committee to be publicly available.
22 October 2012: First Public Hearing for Senate ‘Aviation Accident Investigations’
Inquiry.