[Peetwo]

ATCB O&O investigation No: AO-2015-007

Boy oh boy the ATCB are good at keeping these types of serious incidents under wraps - FDS...1071 days or 2yrs 11 months & 6 days for this...

What happened
On the morning of 9 January 2015, a Regional Express operated SAAB 340B aircraft, registered VH-OLM struck a flock of birds during its landing roll at Moruya, New South Wales. Inspection of the aircraft by the flight crew found bird impact marks but no visually identifiable damage. The crew continued their schedule to Merimbula, New South Wales. At Merimbula, the first officer noticed the tip of one propeller blade was missing, and the aircraft was subsequently grounded.

What the ATSB found
The blade tip failure was almost certainly a result of the birdstrike during the landing roll of the previous flight, weakening the internal structure of the blade.

The flight crew conducted a visual inspection in accordance with the operator’s procedures, and this inspection did not find any damage. However, the propeller manufacturer’s birdstrike inspection procedure was deemed a maintenance task. As such, it was not suitable for flight crew.

What's been done as a result
The operator changed its birdstrike procedures to ensure aircraft remained on the ground until a maintenance inspection was carried out in accordance with appropriate documented inspection procedures. In addition, pilot and engineering notices were issued clarifying these requirements.

Safety message
Adherence to regulations and company procedures is essential for the ongoing airworthiness of aircraft. Therefore, it is vital that procedures are clear and do not lead to ambiguity or misinterpretation. Where uncertainty exists, seeking clarification from the relevant authority can reduce the risk of an unserviceability affecting flight safety.

From FlightGlobal:

Birdstrike caused Rex Saab 340 propeller tip failure

• 14 December, 2017
  
• SOURCE: Flight Dashboard
  
• BY: Ellis Taylor
  
• Perth
  

Regional Express has changed its maintenance procedures following a propeller failure incident on one of its Saab 340s that was caused by an earlier birdstrike.

The aircraft, registered VH-OLM, struck a flock of galahs during its landing roll at Moruya, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) states in its final report on the incident.
In accordance with Rex’s procedures, the crew carried out a test of the ice protection system before the engines were shut down, and no anomalies were detected. During the turnaround, the pilots conducted a visual inspection of the aircraft which showed signs of a bridstrike. However, there was no evidence that birds had been ingested into the engines, nor was any apparent physical damage.

“The examination included rotating the propellers so that the forward and aft blade surfaces could be inspected for cracking, buckling, chips, dents or deformation along each affected blade’s leading edge,” says the ATSB. “When no damage was identified, the captain contacted the operator for further technical advice and the crew were subsequently cleared to continue with the flight schedule.”

After completing the subsequent flight to Merimbula, the first officer noticed that the tip of one of the left-hand propeller blades had detached, and the aircraft was subsequently grounded.

Image Source: Regional Express via ATSB

There were no injuries reported to passengers and crew, and no other damage to the aircraft was found.

The ATSB says that that impact from “multiple galahs almost certainly reduced the structural integrity of a propeller blade, resulting in the separation of its tip during the subsequent flight”.
It also looked closely at the inspection procedures for suspected birdstrikes. In their inspection, the flight crew focused on seeking visible damage to the propeller blade, and liaised with Rex’s engineering crew. However, no on-site engineering inspection of the propeller was made.

“Regardless of the nature of the flight crew’s inspection, both [the Civil Aviation Safety Authority] and the propeller manufacturer considered the inspection to be a maintenance task, and required it to be carried out by qualified maintenance personnel,” says the Bureau.

Subsequently, Rex changed its procedures to require an engineering inspection before an aircraft departs if there are signs that wildlife may have struck the propellers.

"..Adherence to regulations and company procedures is essential for the ongoing airworthiness of aircraft..." -  Is this why, for what would appear to be a relatively straightforward investigation, the ATCB saw the need to O&O this final report?

Oh well at least Hoody can say he kept it under 3 years -

Speaking of 'serious incidents' that have been O&O'd with the standard excuse of lack of resources, apparently the following 'serious incident' had the additional incentive of covering the embarrassing inclusion of a certain Turnbull Government VIP - or so the story goes...

10/11/2017

201705227


Serious Incident

West Sale Aerodrome


38° 5.502' S


146° 57.918' E


VIC

Cessna Aircraft Company

337

Charter


Passenger


CTAF

G

During approach, the crew did not extend the landing gear resulting in a wheels-up landing. The aircraft sustained minor damage.

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MTF...P2


Ps.

Plane carrying federal transport minister in serious safety scare

A plane carrying the federal transport minister has been involved in a serious safety scare.