[Peetwo]

Mid-Air 'learnings'?? -   

Ref: Popinjay's bizarre 'no learnings' mantra continues on Gympie midair??

STATEMENT FROM ATSB CHIEF COMMISSIONER ANGUS MITCHELL

In accordance with long-established government policy, the ATSB is funded and directed to prioritise its resources on transport safety investigations that have the potential to deliver the greatest public benefit through systemic improvements to transport safety, and would only investigate accidents involving recreational aviation aircraft on an exception basis where a particular third-party risk is identified.

In the Kybong mid-air accident, both aircraft were operating in non-controlled airspace. Procedures for operating in non-controlled airspace are long established, mid-air collisions in uncontrolled airspace are rare, and any ATSB transport safety investigation would be unlikely to yield new safety learnings for the aviation industry.

The ATSB notes that the self-administration arrangements for the recreational aviation sector specifically provide for self-administration bodies to undertake accident investigation, and that the safety learnings from accidents in the sector are usually limited because the causal factors are generally well-understood. 

Where requested and as resourcing permits the ATSB may assist sport and recreation aviation organisations’ investigations through providing technical assistance, such as a metallurgical examination of aircraft components or data recovery.

Investigator representatives from recreational aviation organisations are also able to attend the ATSB’s transport safety investigator graduate certificate course, which is delivered jointly by the ATSB and RMIT University.

The ATSB empathises with the next of kin who have lost loved ones in the Kybong accident and are seeking answers as to how the accident occurred.

-- END

Ironically (in a parallel universe) the Flight Safety Detectives, in their latest episode, discuss the learnings of the NTSB's final report into a midair fatal accident...

See & Avoid – Episode 144
December 7, 2022/in Episodes /

“See and Avoid” is widely recognized as a method for avoiding collision. This accident shows that approach has limits.

The term “See and Avoid” is part of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Regulation 14 CFR Part 91.113 (b), calling for pilots to actively search for potentially conflicting traffic. John and Todd discuss a 2014 accident where two planes crashed because they were not able to see one another in time.

The accident involved a Cessna 172 and a Searey homebuilt participating in a Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles program. The Cessna was overtaking the Searey as it descended and the two collided. Two people in the Searey were able to land. The Cessna crashed and the passenger and student onboard died.

The NTSB probable cause cited failure to “see and avoid.” The Flight Safety Detectives explore the importance and limitations of relying on being able to see everything from the cockpit. They discuss how better preplanning by the two pilots involved could have avoided the collision.

Related documents:

NTSB Final Report (PDF)

 
 
Next the following TSBC Final Report into a midair accident between a glider and a tug was bought to my attention (with comments) by a fellow IOS/BRB member... :

I thought the ATSB benchmark themselves with the Canadians?? They spruke that to the ANAO, yet there's this...!

https://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-repor...w0099.html

Safety messages

In this occurrence, there was no procedure to follow if visual contact was lost after the tow was released. It is important that operators have procedures in place for the safe operation of their aircraft, and that personnel follow those procedures.

Neither pilot saw the other aircraft in time to avoid a mid-air collision, partly owing to the inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid principle. Relying solely on visual detection increases the risk of collision while in uncontrolled airspace. Pilots are encouraged to broadcast their intentions to maintain the situational awareness of other aircraft.

Airborne collision avoidance systems (ACAS) offer the potential to significantly reduce the risk of mid-air collisions. If an aircraft is equipped with an ACAS, it is important that the system be maintained in a serviceable condition.

This report concludes the Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s investigation into this occurrence. The Board authorized the release of this report on 05 February 2020. It was officially released on 10 February 2020.

This report is the result of an investigation into a class 4 occurrence. See the Policy on Occurrence Classification.

To make it worse, there's lots more gliding investigations in Canada!

Hmm...definitely no learnings here - FFS! 

MTF...P2