[Peetwo]

Popinjay goes systemic on B737 firebomber AAI - WTF??

Via Popinjay central:

Summary

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has commenced an investigation into the collision with terrain of a Boeing Company 737-3H4, registration N619SW, in the Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia, on 6 February 2023.

At about 1616 local time, while conducting aerial fire-fighting operations, the aircraft collided with terrain after completing a fire-retardant drop. The 2 flight crew exited the aircraft with minor injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed.

The ATSB has deployed a team of transport safety investigators with experience in aircraft operations, maintenance, data recovery, and human factors to the accident site, to begin the evidence collection phase of the investigation. The initial focus of the investigation will be to interview the flight crew and witnesses, and recover and download the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. Other investigation activities will include an examination of the aircraft and mapping the accident site, reviewing pilot and maintenance records, operator procedures, tasking arrangements, and the weather and environmental conditions.

Over the coming weeks, the collection of evidence will allow the ATSB to determine the scope of the investigation and gain a better understanding of its timeframe.

A final report will be published at the conclusion of the investigation. Should any safety critical information be discovered at any time during the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify operators and regulators so appropriate and timely safety action can be taken.

Aircraft Details

Departure point- Busselton Aerodrome, Western Australia

Destination- Busselton Aerodrome, Western Australia

Model- BOEING 737-3H4

Serial number- 28035

Sector- Jet

Registration- N619SW

Operation type- Part 138 Aerial work operations

Damage- Destroyed

Manufacturer- The Boeing Company

Aircraft Operator- Coulson Flying Tankers

And the investigation level??

Investigation level- Systemic

Hmm...so here we have a high risk aerial work operation, involving a foreign registered Boeing 737 airtanker, that has a CFIT occurrence with zero fatalities and Popinjay decides (in his extreme wisdom in AAI) that the investigation requires the many millions of extra taxpayer dollars to conduct a systemic investigation - UFB! 

Meanwhile in Gympie QLD there was a serious midair fatal accident that has many highlighted systemic issues within the industry and Popinjay refuses to conduct a proper AO numbered investigation...

MTF...P2 

PS: Via the UP, LB absolutely nails it...

Lead Balloon

Originally Posted by PiperCameron:

Well, they've started work on it: https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications...rt/ao-2023-008

Over the coming weeks, the collection of evidence will allow the ATSB to determine the scope of the investigation and gain a better understanding of its timeframe.

My comment: “[L]et's hope the ATSB comes up with some 'takeaways' that folks flying for the airlines will consider relevant.” was in response to Lookleft’s suggestion that this is the first loss of a transport category hull in Australia and that was the justification for ATSB to investigate, notwithstanding that there were no fatalities and it was a known risky kind of operation with nothing to do with transport of passengers or cargo. This aircraft might have started its life as certified in the transport category, but that ended as soon as it was modified to be and was then operated as a LAT.

To be clear, I think ATSB should be investigating this accident, preferably in consultation with or ideally with the assistance of the NTSB and Boeing. But I also think ATSB should be investigating all aircraft accidents involving fatalities.

I doubt that anything will come out of this investigation that will have any relevance to folks flying for the airlines or be anything novel. I guesstimate that the outcome will be to the effect that when engaged in known risky kinds of operations, bad things are more likely to happen in the blink of an eye.