[Peetwo]

ATSB ops inquiry update: Submissions so far.

Via the RRAT inquiry website:

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1 Mr Howard Hobbs (PDF 118 KB) 

"..The ATSB report is based on a flawed statistical analysis of accident and incident data. ATSB has

ignored more than half of the flights conducted by Angel Flight and compared Angel Flight
operations with a range of irrelevant other private operations. Consequently, the results lead to
conclusions that have incorrectly and unnecessarily tarnished the safety record of Angel Flight
when Angel Flight’s own comprehensive data shows that it’s safety record is similar to other
operations in private flying.

The report is not an investigation into the accident – it is an investigation into Angel Flight. The
cause of the accident is obvious – the pilot elected to fly in conditions that were unsafe, beyond
his training and abilities, and in contravention of the present rules and regulations - had the
existing rules been followed then the accident would not have occurred.

Making more wide ranging restrictive regulations severely impacting on others to try and stop
those who don’t adhere to regulations is not productive or sensible.

This pilot obtained a pilot’s licence under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulations,
had done bi-annual flight reviews and medicals under CASA rules and would have received
notices of all the CASA pilot AvSafety seminars and updates.

What the industry needs to know is what the pilot could have done to avoid this mistake and
how others can learn from this accident to avoid making the same mistake. For example was
this pilot, and are pilots generally, aware that regular updates of weather forecasts and actual
weather conditions are readily available from sources such as METARs, SPECIs, AWIS, webcams
etc. and do pilots find reports difficult to interpret.

There must valuable lessons to be learnt from the accident but ATSB has not considered that at
all..."

2 Mr Shaun Aisen (PDF 1164 KB) 

"...I was at Essendon Airport on the morning of 21 February 2017, due to fly

to Flinders Island when the tragic accident involving a Beech King Air 200
occurred where it crashed into the Discount Freight Outlets killing all
onboard. The findings from the ATSB, A0-2017-024, continue to
astonish a significant portion of the Australian aviation industry, in
particularly well-qualified Beech 200 pilots.

Of significance to me, the report concentrated on the pilot's reputation,
past occurrences and the findings of aircraft configuration issues.

Surprisingly, the report did not address medical issues or potential
medical issues. The bodies of the occupants could not be recovered.

But, as the pilot maintained a Class 1 medical, it was 'assumed' that a
medical occurrence could not have arisen...

...Furthermore, if one continues to concentrate on 'reputation' as the
ATSB has concentrated on with its references to Community Service
Flight fatality rates and its associated assumptions, the pilots of the Fine
Air DC8 cargo jet that crashed at Miami on 7 August 1997 would have
been 'roasted' by the NTSB. Thankfully, a Cockpit Voice Recorder was
recovered, and even though the flight crew had 'a reputation', it was
found that they did everything right on that flight and that the issues
arising with the aircraft was completely out of their control.

The ATSB purports to report the facts, but based on the evidence
assembled in the Mt Gambier finding and that at Essendon Airport,
seemingly relies on assumption and presumption, whilst eliminating
from consideration real and possible contributing issues. In the case of
the King Air, without being able to recover any bodies and perform
necessary post mortems, how could they eliminate a medical event as
not being the prime cause of the accident..."

&..


"...The ATSB's reputation and integrity is detrimentally affected by the

supporting data - it is significantly skewed, blatantly incorrect and
appears pre-conceived. This is deceitful, dishonest and inappropriate.

The statistics are contrived and 'cherry pick' best opportunity to
substantiate the ATSB's findings.

Improvements in safety can only occur if it results from the accurate
provision and interpretation of available data. It is highly likely that it
will be clearly found that Angel Flight operations are vastly safer than
private category flying.

Ultimately, with nearly 50% of the report relating to Angel Flight
operations, it appears that the report's intent was nothing less than a
'cheap kill' or 'witch hunt' with the intent to hamper an organisation
that directly and positively affects thousands of regional Australians
each year.

The report devalues the lives of those directly and indirectly affected on
that day by not concentrating on the accident and what could have been
learnt directly from the occurrence.

What can we learn? To work collaboratively, using justified and
appropriate data to improve aviation safety across Australia..."

3 Mr Allen Hilton (PDF 116 KB) 

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MTF...P2