Academic literature on the topic 'Aircraft accidents Australia'

INTRODUCTION: Aerobatic flight operations involve a higher level of risk than standard flight operations. Aerobatics imposes considerable stresses on both the aircraft and the pilot. The purpose of this study was to analyze civilian aerobatic aircraft accidents in Australia, with particular emphasis on the underlying accident causes and survival outcomes.METHODS: The accident and incident database of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau was searched for all events involving aerobatic flight for the period 19802010.RESULTS: A total of 51 accidents involving aircraft undertaking aerobatic operations were identified, with 71 aircraft occupants. Of the accidents, 27 (52.9) were fatal, resulting in a total of 36 fatalities. There were 24 nonfatal accidents. In terms of injury outcomes, there were 4 serious and 9 minor injuries, and 22 accidents in which no injuries were recorded. Fatal accidents were mainly due to loss of control by the pilot (44.4), in-flight structural failure of the airframe (25.9), and terrain impact (25.9). G-LOC was considered a possible cause in 11.1 of fatal accidents. Nonfatal accidents were mainly due to powerplant failure (41.7) and noncatastrophic airframe damage (25). Accidents involving aerobatic maneuvering have a significantly increased risk of a fatal outcome (odds ratio 26).DISCUSSION: The results of this study highlight the risks involved in aerobatic flight. Exceeding the operational limits of the maneuver and the design limits of the aircraft are major factors contributing to a fatal aerobatic aircraft accident. Improved awareness of G physiology and better operational decision-making while undertaking aerobatic flight may help prevent further accidents.Newman DG. Factors contributing to accidents during aerobatic flight operations. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2021; 92(8):612618.

Components and systems of military aircraft are regularly subjected to severe operating conditions, which lead to the development of a wide range of failure modes. The Defence Science and Technology Organisations (DSTO) Forensic Engineering and Accident Investigation group investigates such failures for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Correct diagnosis of these failures has provided the ADF with immediate advice that has contributed to increased aircraft safety, improved operational availability, and significant cost savings. This paper presents a number of case studies of recent fatigue failures which have occurred in Australian Defence aircraft. The case studies include examples of failures which occurred via differing fatigue initiating and driving mechanisms. Details of the forensic investigations relating to each case study are provided and the ensuing remedial actions discussed.

The phenomenon of encountering instrument meteorological conditions (IMCs) while operating an aircraft under visual flight rules (VFRs) remains a primary area of concern. Studies have established that pilots operating under VFRs that continue to operate under IMCs remains a significant cause of accidents in general aviation (GA), resulting in hundreds of fatalities. This research used the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) database, which contained a total of 196 VFR to IMC occurrences, from 2003 to 2019, with 26 having formal reports. An explanatory design was adopted, commencing with a qualitative study of the 26 occurrences with reports followed by a quantitative study of all 196 occurrences. Factors investigated included the locations and date of the occurrences, involved aircraft (manufacturer, model, type), pilot details (licenses, ratings, h, and medical), number of fatalities, and causal factors. Fisher’s exact tests were used to highlight significant relationships. Results showed occurrences were more likely to end fatally if (1) they involved private operations, (2) pilots only had a night VFR rating, (3) the pilot chose to push on into IMCs, (4) the pilot did not undertake proper preflight planning consulting aviation weather services, and (5) the pilot had more than 500 h of flight experience. Further results showed occurrences were less likely to end fatally if the meteorological condition was clouds without precipitation, if the pilot held a full instrument rating, or the pilot was assisted via radio. Analysis of the data using the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) framework revealed that errors and violations occur with slightly greater frequency for fatal occurrences than non-fatal occurrences. Quantitative analyses demonstrated that the number of VFR to IMC occurrences have not decreased even though initiatives have been implemented in an attempt to address the issue.

Abstract. The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on the morning of the 8 March 2014 is one of the great mysteries of our time. Perhaps the most relevant aspect of this mystery is that not a single piece of debris from the aircraft has been found. Difficulties in the search efforts, due to the uncertainty in the plane's final impact point and the time that has passed since the accident, bring the question on how the debris has scattered in an always moving ocean, for which there are multiple data sets that do not uniquely determine its state. Our approach to this problem is based on the use of Lagrangian Descriptors (LD), a novel mathematical tool coming from dynamical systems theory that identifies dynamic barriers and coherent structures governing transport. By combining publicly available information supplied by different ocean data sources with these mathematical techniques, we are able to assess the spatio-temporal state of the ocean in the priority search area at the time of impact and the following weeks. Using this information we propose a revised search strategy by showing why one might not have expected to find debris in some large search areas targeted by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), and determining regions where one might have expected impact debris to be located and that have not been subjected to any exploration.

Helicopter search and rescue (SAR) for oil and gas operations in the northwest of WA is undertaken by helicopters and crews contracted to support oil and gas operations. The capability of these crews and aircraft varies and is described by helicopter operators as either limited or restricted SAR. This differs to similar oil and gas regions of Australia and globally, where full or dedicated SAR is available to respond to pre-identified rescue events. Key differences between full and restricted SAR equate to WA operations being unable to conduct winch rescue at night from the water, limited capability to winch from vessels and lack or search technology such as night vision and heat signature equipment considered essential elsewhere. The type of oil and gas operations undertaken in the northwest of WA are no different to other parts of the world, especially in terms of identified accident event potential. However, despite the need for full SAR as a preparedness measure for oil and gas emergencies overseas, northwest WA still operates to a lesser capability. There is much discussion as to the rational for this situation, but regardless of opinion logic would suggest, at the very least, opportunity exists to review northwest oil and gas risk management process for this specific field as development of increasingly complex and distant offshore operations continues. Therefore, this report, its supporting training materials and supplementary reports, seek to both clarify and reinforce hazards associated with helicopter SAR to enable more robust risk management going forward.

Abstract. The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on the morning of 8 March 2014 is one of the great mysteries of our time. Perhaps the most relevant aspect of this mystery is that not a single piece of debris from the aircraft was found during the intensive surface search carried out for roughly 2 months following the crash. Difficulties in the search efforts, due to the uncertainty of the plane's final impact point and the time that had passed since the accident, bring the question on how the debris scattered in an always moving ocean, for which there are multiple data sets that do not uniquely determine its state. Our approach to this problem is based on the use of Lagrangian descriptors (LD), a novel mathematical tool coming from dynamical systems theory that identifies dynamic barriers and coherent structures governing transport. By combining publicly available information supplied by different ocean data sources with these mathematical techniques, we are able to assess the spatio-temporal state of the ocean in the priority search area at the time of impact and the following weeks. Using this information we propose a revised search strategy by showing why one might not have expected to find debris in some large search areas targeted by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), and determining regions where one might have expected impact debris to be located, which were not subjected to any exploration.

From its beginning, mankind suffered injuries through falling, fire, drowning and human aggression [1]. Although the frequency and the kinetics modifiy over millennia, trauma continues to represent an important cause of morbidity and mortality even in the modern society [1]. Significant progresses in the trauma surgery were due to military conflicts, which next to social sufferance came with important steps in injuries’ management, further applied in civilian hospitals. The foundation of modern trauma systems was started by Dominique Jean Larrey (1766-1842) during the Napoleonic Rin military campaign from 1792. The wounded who remained on the battlefield till the end of the battle to receive medical care, usually more than 24 hours, from that moment were transported during the conflict with flying ambulances to mobile hospitals. Starting with the First World War, through the usage of antiseptics, blood transfusions, and fracture management, the mortality decreased from 39% in the Crimean War (1853–1856) to 10%. One of the most preeminent figures of the Second World War was Michael DeBakey, who created the Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals (MASH), concept very similar to the Larrey’s unit. In 1941, in England, Birmingham Accident Hospital was opened, specially designed for injured people, this being the first trauma center worldwide. During the Golf War (1990–1991) the MASH were used for the last time, being replaced by Forward Surgical Teams, very mobile units satisfying the necessities of the nowadays infantry [1]. Nowadays, trauma meets the pandemic criteria, everyday 16,000 people worldwide are dying, injuries representing one of the first five causes of mortality for all the age groups below 60 [2]. A recent 12-month analysis of trauma pattern in the Emergency Hospital of Bucharest revealed 141 patients, 72.3% males, with a mean age of 43.52 ± 19 years, and a mean New Injury Severity Score (NISS) of 27.58 ± 11.32 [3]. The etiology was traffic related in 101 (71.6%), falls in 28 (19.9%) and crushing in 7 (5%) cases. The overall mortality was as high as 30%, for patients with a mean NISS of 37.63 [3]. At the scene, early recognition of severe injuries and a high index of suspicion according to trauma kinetics may allow a correct triage of patients [4]. A functional trauma system should continuously evaluate the rate of over- and under-triage [5]. The over-triage represents the transfer to a very severe patient to a center without necessary resources, while under-triage means a low injured patient referred to a highly specialized center. If under-triage generates preventable deaths, the over-triage comes with a high financial and personal burden for the already overloaded tertiary centers [5]. To maximize the chance for survival, the major trauma patients should be transported as rapid as possible to a trauma center [6]. The initial resuscitation of trauma patients was divided into two time intervals: ten platinum minutes and golden hour [6]. During the ten platinum minutes the airways should be managed, the exsanguinating bleeding should be stopped, and the critical patients should be transported from the scene. During the golden hour all the life-threatening lesions should be addressed, but unfortunately many patients spend this time in the prehospital setting [6]. These time intervals came from Trunkey’s concept of trimodal distribution of mortality secondary to trauma, proposed in 1983 [7]. This trimodal distribution of mortality remains a milestone in the trauma education and research, and is still actual for development but inconsistent for efficient trauma systems [8]. The concept of patients’ management in the prehospital setting covered a continuous interval, with two extremities: stay and play/treat then transfer or scoop and run/ load and go. Stay and play, usually used in Europe, implies airways securing and endotracheal intubation, pleurostomy tube insertion, and intravenous lines with volemic replacement therapy. During scoop and run, used in the Unites States, the patient is immediately transported to a trauma center, addressing the immediate life-threating injuries during transportation. In the emergency department of the corresponding trauma center, the resuscitation of the injured patients should be done by a trauma team, after an orchestrated protocol based on Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS). The modern trauma teams include five to ten specialists: general surgeons trained in trauma care, emergency medicine physicians, intensive care physicians, orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, radiologists, interventional radiologists, and nurses. In the specially designed trauma centers, the leader of the trauma team should be the general surgeon, while in the lower level centers this role may be taken over by the emergency physicians. The implementation of a trauma system is a very difficult task, and should be tailored to the needs of the local population. For example, in Europe the majority of injuries are by blunt trauma, while in the United States or South Africa they are secondary to penetrating injuries. In an effort to analyse at a national level the performance of trauma care, we have proposed a national registry of major trauma patients [9]. For this registry we have defined major trauma as a New Injury Severity Score higher than 15. The maintenance of such registry requires significant human and financial resources, while only a permanent audit may decrease the rate of preventable deaths in the Romanian trauma care (Figure 1) [10]. Figure 1 - The website of Romanian Major Trauma Registry (http://www.registrutraume.ro). USA - In the United States of America there are 203 level I centers, 265 level II centers, 205 level III or II centers and only 32 level I or II pediatric centers, according to the 2014 report of National Trauma Databank [11]. USA were the first which recognized trauma as a public health problem, and proceeded to a national strategy for injury prevention, emergency medical care and trauma research. In 1966, the US National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council noted that ‘’public apathy to the mounting toll from accidents must be transformed into an action program under strong leadership’’ [12]. Considerable national efforts were made in 1970s, when standards of trauma care were released and in 1990s when ‘’The model trauma care system plan’’[13] was generated. The American College of Surgeons introduced the concept of a national trauma registry in 1989. The National Trauma Databank became functional seven years later, in 2006 being registered over 1 million patients from 600 trauma centers [14]. Mortality from unintentional injury in the United States decreased from 55 to 37.7 per 100,000 population, in 1965 and 2004, respectively [15]. Due to this national efforts, 84.1% of all Americans have access within one hour from injury to a dedicated trauma care [16]. Canada - A survey from 2010 revealed that 32 trauma centers across Canada, 16 Level I and 16 Level II, provide definitive trauma care [18]. All these centers have provincial designation, and funding to serve as definitive or referral hospital. Only 18 (56%) centers were accredited by an external agency, such as the Trauma Association of Canada. The three busiest centers in Canada had between 798–1103 admissions with an Injury Severity Score over 12 in 2008 [18]. Australia - Australia is an island continent, the fifth largest country in the world, with over 23 million people distributed on this large area, a little less than the United States. With the majority of these citizens concentrated in large urban areas, access to the medical care for the minority of inhabitants distributed through the territory is quite difficult. The widespread citizens cannot be reached by helicopter, restricted to near-urban regions, but with the fixed wing aircraft of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, within two hours [13]. In urban centers, the trauma care is similar to the most developed countries, while for people sparse on large territories the trauma care is far from being managed in the ‘’golden hour’’, often extending to the ‘’Golden day’’ [19]. Germany - One of the most efficient European trauma system is in Germany. Created in 1975 on the basis of the Austrian trauma care, this system allowed an over 50% decreasing of mortality, despite the increased number of injuries. According to the 2014 annual report of the Trauma Register of German Trauma Society (DGU), there are 614 hospitals submitting data, with 34.878 patients registered in 2013 [20]. The total number of cases documented in the Trauma Register DGU is now 159.449, of which 93% were collected since 2002. In the 2014 report, from 26.444 patients with a mean age of 49.5% and a mean ISS of 16.9, the observed mortality was 10% [20]. The United Kingdom - In 1988, a report of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, analyzing major injuries concluded that one third of deaths were preventable [21]. In 2000, a joint report from the Royal College of Surgeons of England and of the British Orthopedic Association was very suggestive entitled "Better Care for the Severely Injured" [22]. Nowadays the Trauma Audit Research network (TARN) is an independent monitor of trauma care in England and Wales [23]. TARN collects data from hospitals for all major trauma patients, defined as those with a hospital stay longer than 72 hours, those who require intensive care, or in-hospital death. A recent analysis of TARN data, looking at the cost of major trauma patients revealed that the total cost of initial hospital inpatient care was £19.770 per patient, of which 62% was attributable to ventilation, intensive care and wards stays, 16% to surgery, and 12% to blood transfusions [24]. Global health care models Countries where is applied Functioning concept Total healthcare costs from GDP Bismarck model Germany Privatized insurance companies (approx. 180 nonprofit sickness funds). Half of the national trauma beds are publicly funded trauma centers; the remaining are non-profit and for-profit private centers. 11.1% Beveridge model United Kingdom Insurance companies are non-existent. All hospitals are nationalized. 9.3% National health insurance Canada, Australia, Taiwan Fusion of Bismarck and Beveridge models. Hospitals are privatized, but the insurance program is single and government-run. 11.2% for Canada The out-of-pocket model India, Pakistan, Cambodia The poorest countries, with undeveloped health care payment systems. Patients are paying for more than 75% of medical costs. 3.9% for India GDP – gross domestic product Table 1 - Global health care models with major consequences on trauma care [17]. Traumas continue to be a major healthcare problem, and no less important than cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and access to dedicated and timely intervention maximizes the patients’ chance for survival and minimizes the long-term morbidities. We should remember that one size does not fit in all trauma care. The Romanian National Trauma Program should tailor its resources to the matched demands of the specific Romanian urban and rural areas.

Introduction: Remote sensing is useful in several modes of oil spill control, including large area surveillance, site specific monitoring and tactical assistance in emergencies. Remote sensing is able to provide essential information to enhance strategic and tactical decision-making, potentially reducing incidence of spills by providing a deterrent factor, decreasing response costs by facilitating rapid oil recovery and ultimately minimising impact. Marine oil spills can be separated into two categories of relevance to the type of remote sensing technology which might be used to detect and respond to the incident. A first category is non-accidental discharges, which can include incidental losses from vessels due to hull or equipment leaks, as well as oil discharged intentionally during deballasting and tank-cleaning activities. While these non-accidental discharges tend to be small in themselves, they are frequent and contribute much more to the overall introduction of oil to the marine environment than accidental spills, and are of increasing international regulatory concern. Accidental spills are much less frequent, but typically involves much larger releases of oil. Such oil spills are high profile events for which rapid and effective emergency response is needed to contain and recover the spilled oil. In many countries, an appropriate and effective response capability is required by law, such as demanded by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 in the US, as well as by recent amendments to the Canada Shipping Act in Canada. There is a growing recognition that using remote sensing, especially airborne, to aid cleanup response efforts can mitigate the effects of oil on the environment, as well as reduce cleanup costs. Airborne remote sensing sensing in the support of spill response operations has a mixed level of interest by spill responders when viewed globally. In the US, for instance, airborne remote has had varying degrees of success in meeting operational expectations, and thus is not yet fully integrated into national, regional and area response plans and operations. By comparison, the record of successful use in the UK, for instance, is such that remote sensing support is contracted by the UK Coast Guard on a stand-by basis and used routinely when a significant spill occurs. As another example, airborne remote sensing technologies are now being adopted by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority to support its spill response actions. Low altitude aircraft have proven to be the most effective tactical method for obtaining information about spills and assisting in spill response. Combined with accurate oil drift computer model forecasting, these two methods were the primary strategic tools used for environmental response planning during the IXTOC-1 and Arabian Gulf spills, although less useful for guiding tactical operations (Pavia and Payton, 1983; Cekirge et al., 1992). Conversely, essential tactical support was provided by aerial remote sensing for the application of dispersants, a major spill response in the Sea Empress spill in Southwest Wales (Harris, 1997; Lunel et al., 1997). Currently, the use of imaging satellites for spill response is restricted because of limited spatial resolution, slow revisit times and often long delays in receipt of processed image data. The topic of oil spill monitoring by imaging satellites has been reviewed by Bern (1993a,b). There are significant advances being made, however, to increase resolution and coverage, as well as in the speed of image product delivery. Sensing oil on water by satellites appears best suited for routine surveillance purposes. There are synergisms in protecting the environment and property from oil spills which can be achieved by an integrated approach which draws on the remote sensing advantages of airborne and satellite imaging technology. There are many potential users of such remote sensing information, in government and private sector organisations. Government authorities use such information in surveillance, for example in the North and Baltic Seas, detecting spills when they occur and for identification of the spiller, which could be a vessel discharging illegally. Many government organisations also maintain an organised oil spill response capability, which would be supported by remote sensing information in oil spill response operations. The private sector includes the primary oil industry operating globally, and oil transporters, which carry responsibility and potential liability in the event of a spill. Other potential users are oil spill response organisations which might offer a sub-contracted remote sensing capability to their clients. Other private sector groups include the insurers for the shipping industry, who are directly and immediately interested in keeping both the costs of the response and oil spill impact damage as low as possible. The news media is a additional potential user, interested in quality graphical representation of the oil spill, as is true for any disaster event.

Abstract. Australian general aviation accident data show pilots who conduct operations into adverse weather, when against the rules, remain as a significant cause of fatal accidents. This paper presents the background, methodology, and results of a theory of planned behavior (TPB) elicitation study, which extracted key psychological beliefs of aircraft pilots in such circumstances. The present study established a psychometric survey instrument with items that are valid and reliable, to then further explore the TPB psychological constructs concerning the intentions of pilots when presented with adverse weather. Given the principled deliberations associated with rule-related behavior, the project explores an extension of the TPB by investigating the addition of two psychological constructs – personal norms and anticipated affect and their power to provide a discrete contribution and improved explanation of variance.

In the two decades after 1936, the assessment and instruction of aviators was transformed by adopting synthetic training aids. These devices were typified by the Link Trainer, an ersatz aeroplane that taught basic piloting skills and instrument flying. Purchased both by Australian civil operators and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Link Trainer use proliferated from 1939. After 1945, an escalating accident rate led the RAAF to consider an emergent technology: flight simulators. Developed in the UK and USA, Dehmel-style flight simulators were powered by analogue computers to emulate specific aircraft types. Drawing upon Korean War experience and Canadian precedents, in 1956 the RAAF took delivery of Australia's first flight simulator, Redifon's model C.773 for the Avon Sabre fighter. Integrating both military and civilian experience, this article argues that western faith in flight simulators often ran ahead of their capabilities and fidelity to ‘seat of the pants’ flying.

This thesis describes original research that examines the extent to which organisational culture, and psychosocial aspects specifically, relate to individuals??? ???normal??? performance within Australian Defence Force (ADF) aviation. The primary rationale for the research relates to the ???safety record??? of ADF aviation, whereby more than fifty ???peace time??? fatalities have occurred in ADF aviation accidents since 1990 and many of these have links to organisational culture attributes. The secondary rationale relates to a more general perspective: previous research identifies human functioning in military aviation ??? more than any other aviation domain ??? as being dependent upon psychosocial attributes including interpersonal collaboration, communication and coordination. However, the depth to which such qualities impact the safety of a sociotechnical system remains substantially uncharted. This thesis firstly examines both scientific and Australian military literature on organisational behaviour, culture and human factors. Subsequently, it describes the design and implementation of a new 45-item questionnaire ??? the Australian Defence Force Aviation Questionnaire (ADFAQ). More than four hundred ADF aircrew and engineers completed the ADFAQ. The data analysis involved quantitative and qualitative consideration of survey responses and comparisons between numerous demographic criteria. Following this, the thesis describes the design and implementation of an interview study that was designed to both cross-examine key ADFAQ results and explore more deeply other issues that were only superficially identified by the (largely psychometric) composition of the ADFAQ. The research results offer three main contributions to scientific knowledge. These relate to: (1) the efficacy of triangulated and contextualised methodology in building an understanding of organisational culture; (2) the nature of the safety culture concept and its relationship with organisational culture; and (3) rank-based homogeneity of attitudes. This research shows that survey methodologies are not a panacea, but they can illuminate the nature of attitudes to safety and provide empirical guidance for other methods to explore more deeply the cultural roots of such attitudes and associated behaviours.