[Peetwo]

ATSB go mute on Essendon crash prelim report -

While we continue to wait for the 2nd version of the PelAir cover-up investigation, here is an update to ATSB Essendon B200 crash investigation, 1st via 6D thread:

Chair Barry O'Braces extends inquiry reporting date -

Reference:

Airports Amendment Bill 2016

CASA says..."Nothing to do with us, Your Honour!"

AIPA says..."While your there Senators??"

Committee recommendation:

Recommendation 1

1.20 The committee recommends that the Senate grant an extension of time

for the committee to report to the first sitting day of March 2018.

Senator Barry O'Sullivan

Chair

 
And the reason why there is a committee request for extension?

Airports Amendment Bill 2016 [Provisions]
28 March 2017
© Commonwealth of Australia 2017
ISBN 978-1-76010-539-6
View the report as a single document - (PDF 549KB)

Recent aviation incidents

1.12 On 21 February, soon after the initiation of this inquiry, a Beechcraft B200

Super King Air VH-ZCR crashed at Essendon Airport. The aircraft impacted the DFO

shopping centre alongside the airport resulting in a major fire. An Australian pilot and

four American tourists on board died in the crash.

1.13 These tragic events brought into stark relief the importance of appropriate

airport planning regulation and processes.

1.14 Evidence received by the committee at Additional Estimates on 27 February

detailed the accident investigations currently underway by the Australian Transport

Safety Bureau. In addition, the Department of Infrastructure and Regional

Development (the Department) noted that it was examining 'development approval

processes involved in the land-use planning at the airport'.11 Departmental Secretary,

Mr Mike Mrdak informed the committee that the Department had provided advice to

the Minister on the accident investigation process as well as the development approval

process for buildings allocated at the DFO site.12

1.15 The committee was also advised that the National Airports Safeguarding

Advisory Group (NASAG) was considering the adoption of draft national guidelines,

regarding runway public safety zones around airports, and runway end safety zones.

Queensland is currently the only Australian jurisdiction to have public safety zone

legislation.13

1.16 On 2 March, correspondence was received from Minister Chester requesting

that the committee consider extending its inquiry in light of the tragic accident and

subsequent investigations underway (at Appendix 1).

1.17 The committee recognises that the findings and recommendations of the

investigations into this tragedy, and the work of NASAG, may have implications for

the bill. It takes the view that sufficient time should be provided to allow the

investigations to proceed and for the committee to then properly consider their

findings.

1.18 Therefore, the committee recommends that its inquiry on the bill be extended

to allow consideration of the investigations and any other relevant aviation regulation

developments.

1.19 Submissions already received and published by the committee (at Appendix

2) will be considered as part of the inquiry following the outcome of the

investigations.

  Q/ Are Barry O, Senator NX and the committee seriously considering deferring the inquiry until such time as the ATSB have completed their investigation into the tragic Essendon B200 accident?

If so then IMO the last bastion of aviation safety sanity and administrative review has been lost to self-serving political and bureaucratic obfuscation - please tell me this is not so

And from the Herald Sun this evening :

Experts look to ATSB to answer key questions about Essendon crash
March 28, 2017 9:50pm
Robyn Ironside


As e-banking technology has improved, the number of bank branches is expected to fall by a third in the next decade. But rather than get rid of branches altogether, banks are trying to give them makeovers to get customers to still come in.

• 28 March 2017
  
• 1 month
  
• /video/video.news.com.au/News/
  

AUSTRALIA’s aviation community will be looking for answers to three key questions when the preliminary report on February’s fiery Essendon crash is released today.

Would pilot Max Quartermain have been able to turn his B200 King Air around safely and land the plane after an engine failed — if the DFO building had not been there?

Did he react appropriately when the engine failed?

And why did the engine fail in the first place?

They are the quandaries facing investigators as they pour over the grim details of the February 21 crash at Essendon Airport, which claimed the lives of all five people on board.

RELATED: US officials help with investigation into Essendon plane deaths

The ATSB investigation into the February 21 plane crash at Essendon is focusing heavily on the actions of pilot Max Quartermain.

Aviation experts share the view that the B200 King Air is an aircraft that can operate well on one engine but a number of other factors came into play in the tragedy.

Firstly the plane was climbing — possibly at “reduced thrust” which meant it was not at full power.

Using reduced thrust for takeoff is a standard operating procedure, considered desirable because it cuts down wear and tear on an aircraft.

When the engine failed during the climb, Mr Quartermain may have failed to push the thrust forward to provide the momentum needed.

As he tried to turn back towards the airfield, the aircraft lost altitude due to the increased G-loading on the wings, leaving him with a lack of power to avoid the DFO building.

If it had not been there, it is possible the plane would have made it back to the airfield and landed safely on one engine.

In the words of aviation safety consultant Trevor Jensen, “there is a lot of fate in accidents”.

Is the existing development too close to Essendon Airport. Picture: Jordan Fouracre

Incredibly the crash happened 37-years to the day of another Super King Air tragedy with striking similarities.

Just as the Essendon crash occurred moments after take off, the 1980 disaster happened 106-seconds after the King Air took off from Sydney Airport’s runway 25 on a flight to Temora.

No cause was ever established by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau but a report said “the most likely explanation was the aircraft was operated in a reduced power configuration … which rendered its single engine performance critical in respect to aircraft handling”.

Mr Jensen is of the opinion the approval of buildings around Essendon Airport were within Civil Aviation Safety Authority guidelines and therefore assessed to be not a serious hazard to aircraft.

AvLaw chairman Ron Bartsch said they would still be looked at closely by investigators.

“Incompatibility of land use and zoning around airports at all three levels of government is a long standing major issue,” Mr Bartsch said.

The plane explodes at it hits the shopping complex near Essendon Airport. Picture: Team2j / Dashcam

Assisting the ATSB in its investigation are US regulatory bodies the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as engine manufacturer Pratt and Whitney Canada.

Mr Bartsch said it was not unusual for the NTSB to assist with an investigation that involved a US-made aircraft, and four American victims.

Director of Communications for Pratt and Whitney Canada, Marc Duchesne said they were fully co-operating with the authorities and would not comment while the incident was under investigation.

“Our thoughts are with all those involved with this incident,” said Mr Duchesne.

"..AUSTRALIA’s aviation community will be looking for answers to three key questions when the preliminary report on February’s fiery Essendon crash is released today..."

A recent view of the ATSB investigation page shows no update or preliminary report, so maybe a bit optimistic by Robyn Ironside...   Plus I am not sure if News Corp will be obtaining the answers to their three (expert OP) QON anytime soon?? - try about March 2020 for an update...    

 
MTF...P2