A report into the deadly mid-air collision of two helicopters above the Gold Coast Broadwater says the pilot of the helicopter coming in to land did not hear a call over the radio by the pilot taking off.
But that does not mean that the taxi call was not made, according to a preliminary report released today by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).
Two helicopters operated by Sea World Helicopters collided mid air on January 2 on the Gold Coast Broadwater.
Four people died, another six received serious injuries while three others sustained minor injuries in the crash.
One helicopter was destroyed and another was severely damaged but managed to land.
ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell says “it’s important to stress that we are yet to make findings”.
“The two helicopters collided at an altitude of about 130 feet, 23 seconds into the departing helicopter’s flight,” Mr Mitchell said.
“The helicopters were operating in a non-controlled airspace where pilots use a Controlled Traffic Advisory Frequency to make radio calls to announce their positions or intentions, and where necessary to arrange separation from other aircraft.
“The report details the calls made by the pilot of the returning helicopter and as they tracked south over the Broadwater, that they saw passengers boarding the second helicopter as it was preparing to depart.
“The pilot of the returning helicopter recalled that the assessment was that the departing helicopter would pass behind them and that they did not recall the pilot making a standard taxiing call, thereby announcing their intentions to depart.
“This does not necessarily mean that a taxiing call was not made.”
He said the ATSB would undertake a detailed analysis of the radio calls that were made.
“It will depend on what evidence we can get, not only recordings, equally from witnesses. There may be some things that we may not be able to completely determine,” he said.
Sea World Helicopters pilot Ashley Jenkinson, New South Wales woman Vanessa Tadros and British couple Diane and Ronald Hughes died when two helicopters conducting joy-flights collided near the Gold Coast theme park.
Three other passengers were critically injured including Geelong woman Winnie De Silva, her son Leon and Ms Tadros’s son Nicholas, who remains in hospital.
Arriving pilot did not see other helicopter depart
Mr Mitchell said the report also details that the pilot of the arriving helicopter did not see the helicopter actually depart the helipad.
“While video footage taken by the passengers on both helicopters on mobile phones contained images of the other helicopter, this does not necessarily mean the other helicopter was visible to both pilots,” he said.
“The investigation will look closely at issues both pilots potentially faced in seeing the other helicopter.
According to the report, two passengers on the inbound helicopter spotted the other taking off and at least one of them attempted to verbally alert the pilot.
When the verbal guidance did not work a passenger physically tried to get the pilots attention because they were concerned about a potential collision, the report said.
The pilot of the inbound helicopter remembered being alerted to the other aircraft by the passenger but said they did not see the other helicopter approaching.
“The ATSB has already generated a 3D model view from the pilot seat from a similar EC130 helicopter, which we will use as part of a detailed visibility study to help the investigation determine the impediments both pilots may have faced in sighting the other helicopter.”
Scenic flight operating procedures to be reviewed
He said the investigation would also consider the operator’s procedures and practices for operating scenic flights in the Sea World area and the process in undertaking the recently acquired EC130 helicopters into operation.
“We will also review the regulatory surveillance of the operator and similar operators.”
Mr Mitchell said the investigation would also look at the use of the traffic collision avoidance system, noting that there was no requirement for the helicopters to be equipped with such a system.
“I would like to finish by saying that I am acutely aware that those who lost a loved one in this accident and the survivors that are still recovering from significant mental and physical injuries and their families, want to understand not only how the tragedy unfolded, but equally, and most importantly, why it occurred.
“And why didn’t the safety equipment, processes and procedures, that are designed to prevent an accident like this, work on this occasion.
“But that’s the ATSB’s purpose and that is the purpose of our ongoing investigation, to uncover any safety issues that contributed or potentially contributed to this accident, and to encourage safety recommendations and safety actions so that similar accidents can be avoided in the future.”
The operator of the helicopters was aware there was a problem with the transponder of the landing aircraft and that the helicopter was not able to be used in controlled airspace until it was fixed, according to the report.
“In aviation it is designed to the mature safety system where single points of failure should not exist.
“So we will be looking at everything that may have contributed, whether that be equipment, whether that be procedures, whether that be individual actions.
“I’m confident that we can find some systemic issues that potentially can be addressed to improve safety in this type of an operation.
Sea World Helicopters remains closed.
In a statement released today the company said they had seen the report and would “take the right amount of time and due care to review” what it says.
“The release of the ATSB interim report is another reminder of the tragic loss of life suffered that day,” director of the company John Orr-Campbell said.
“All at Sea World Helicopters pay their deepest respect to Vanessa Tadros, Diane and Ron Hughes, our friend and late chief Sea World Helicopters pilot Ash Jenkinson, their families, and those who suffered physically and mentally in the accident.
“Our special thoughts go to Winnie De Silva and her son Leon as well Nicholas Tadros, who is still in hospital recovering from his horrific injuries, and his father Simon who has been by his side all along.”
Live updates
By Jessica Riga
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That’s it for the press conference.
You can catch up on Tuesday’s developments below, or download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest news.
By Jessica Riga
Stay up to date with ABC News alerts
That’s it for the press conference.
You can catch up on Tuesday’s developments below, or download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest news.
By Jessica Riga
When will the full report be released?
ASTB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell says it could be a while.
“Those reports traditionally would take us at least 18 months to two years and that’s because of the multiple different areas we have to explore and understand what impact they may have played in this particular case and in any other case that may be similar,” he says.
By Jessica Riga
Do safety changes in the report go far enough?
“We know that there has been another proposed change by that operator including high visibility marking on the rotors and additional strip lighting,” ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell says.
“Very similar to firefighting operations […] but again that’s something we are not assessed yet and until we come to the conclusion around the investigation and look at safety issues, we will look at what is proposed to be taken to address them.”
By Jessica Riga
Will Sea World helicopters be allowed to fly again?
“That’s a decision for the regulator and operator,” ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchelle says.
By Jessica Riga
Have charges been ruled out?
“That’s not for the ATSB,” chief commissioner Angus Mitchell says.
“That’s up to the police or regulator. Ours is just around safety benefit.”
By Jessica Riga
Investigations ongoing into taxiing call
ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell is now taking questions, the first one being why the report is yet to determine why no taxing call was made.
“Some calls have been recorded at Southpoint at the tower there but we also note the tower that sits behind a lot of those tall buildings only picks up some of the calls at a certain altitude,” Mitchell says.
“We only have what is recorded at this stage but that’ll be part of the rest of the investigation.”
By Jessica Riga
Authorities acknowledge those still recovering from tragedy
“I am acutely aware that those who lost a loved one in this accident and the survivors who are still recovering from significant physical and mental injuries and their families want only understand how the tragedy unfolded but equally and most importantly why it occurred,” ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell says.
By Jessica Riga
Report to continue to investigate visibility of helicopters
ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell is providing more detail about the visibility of the helicopters.
“While video footage taken by the passengers in both helicopters on mobile phones contained images of the other helicopter, this does not necessarily mean that the other helicopter was visible to both pilots.
“This investigation will look closely at the issues both pilots potentially faced in seeing the other helicopter.”
By Jessica Riga
How the report came together
“The factual information detailed in the report is derived from interviews with survivors of the accident including the pilot, and witnesses, and analysis of the video footage including images taken from passengers on board both helicopters, onlookers on the ground and CCTV from nearby buildings,” ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell says.
By Jessica Riga
Report reveals helicopter pilot did not hear radio call
A helicopter pilot did not hear a radio call when two choppers crashed on the Gold Coast, a preliminary report has revealed.
“However, we are yet to analyse all the factors that potentially contributed to this tragedy,” Australian Transport Safety Bureau chief commissioner Angus Mitchell says.
By Jessica Riga
Authorities release report into Sea World helicopters crash
Australia’s national transport safety investigator is releasing its initial report into the fatal Sea World helicopters crash.
You can watch the press conference below as we bring you the latest updates.
