[Peetwo]

ATSB inquiry update - 19/09/19:  ATSB AQON..

Via APH website: 2  Questions taken on notice at a public hearing in Sydney, NSW on 4 September 2019 by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Answers received 18 September 2019.

All faily ho..hum with typical non-plussed answers but I did find AQON 4 perplexing more for what it didn't say?

4. Did the ATSB say on television after the accident that the ATSB was investigating Angel Flight?

The ATSB did an onsite press conference the day after the accident. By this time, news reports had already identified Angel Flight and the pilot.

At the press conference, the ATSB Investigator In Charge advised the following:

“On the morning of the accident the pilot landed at Mount Gambier. The pilot was organised by the charity Angel Flight to transport two passengers from Mount Gambier to Adelaide.”
…
“The ATSB has sent four investigators to the site where we will examine the accident site, the wreckage and interview witnesses.”
…
“We will examine other factors such as
• the pilot experience
• the airworthiness of the aircraft
• weather conditions
• and the coordination of the charity flight.

However, it is also important to remember that we are not going to speculate at this point on the circumstances surrounding the accident. The role of the ATSB is to conduct no-blame investigations with the aim of improving transport safety.”

The Investigator In Charge was asked a question as to whether she knew what kind of experience, accreditation or training was required to qualify to be a pilot for the Angel Flight service. The Investigator In Charge responded:

“that will just be part of our investigation, that is something we will cover during the course of our investigation.”

This response is consistent with a number of questions the investigator in charge was asked about mayday calls, mechanical issues and weather conditions. The Investigator In Charge made it clear that the ATSB would not be speculating as to cause.

 
MTF..P2