MILITARY ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION IN AUSTRALIA

MILITARY ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION IN MILITARY ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION IN AUSTRALIAAUSTRALIA

Shane ThompsonShane ThompsonShane Thompson

AIMAIMAIM

• Discuss the process for investigating Australian military accidents

•• Discuss the process for investigating Discuss the process for investigating Australian military accidentsAustralian military accidents

What I will give youWhat I will give youWhat I will give you

• Some good ideas• An honest overview• An easy listen!

•• Some good ideasSome good ideas•• An honest overviewAn honest overview•• An easy listen!An easy listen!

PRESENTATION FORMATPRESENTATION FORMATPRESENTATION FORMAT

• Directorate of Flying Safety• Preparation• Notification• On & off-site investigation• Analysis• Reporting• Questions

•• Directorate of Flying SafetyDirectorate of Flying Safety•• PreparationPreparation•• NotificationNotification•• On & offOn & off--site investigationsite investigation•• AnalysisAnalysis•• ReportingReporting•• QuestionsQuestions

CN

AdminSupport

x 2

Editorial &Graphics

x 3

DB1DatabaseManager

FS11ReserveTrainingOfficer

FS1Maritime

B707, FALCONAVMED

FS2HORNET

F-IIIHAWK, MACCHI

FS3Transport

C-130, CARIBOUHS748, KINGAIR

FS4Training Acft

PC9/ACT4

FS5Air TrafficServices

ADGE

FS 6AWOFF AVTECH

CRASH KITSPPE

FS 6BFSGT AVTECH

FDR/CVR(ATSB)

FS6EngineerENGINES

FS7NAVY

SEAHAWK,SEASPRITE

FS8ARMY

BLACKHAWKTWIN OTTER

FS9ARMY

KIOWA, 206BIROQUOIS, CH-47

FS10ARMYAirmenAircrew

DDFS

DFS-ADF

CAF CA

DFS-ADF ORGANISATION

INVESTIGATORSINVESTIGATORS

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20ADF AIRCRAFT DESTROYED

228

65 70 908075 95 0085

AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTSAIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS1990 1990 -- PRESENTPRESENT

!! AccidentsAccidents 4949

!! Aircraft DestroyedAircraft Destroyed 3030

!! FatalitiesFatalities 4545

!! Serious InjuriesSerious Injuries 2727

PREPARATION OF INVESTIGATORSPREPARATION OF INVESTIGATORSPREPARATION OF INVESTIGATORS

• Staff selection• Investigator training• Medical• Credit cards• Passports• In-house training

•• Staff selectionStaff selection•• Investigator trainingInvestigator training•• MedicalMedical•• Credit cardsCredit cards•• PassportsPassports•• InIn--house traininghouse training

PREPARATION OF INVESTIGATORSPREPARATION OF INVESTIGATORSPREPARATION OF INVESTIGATORS

• Staff selection• Investigator training• Medical• Credit cards• Passports• In-house training• Observation of accidents

•• Staff selectionStaff selection•• Investigator trainingInvestigator training•• MedicalMedical•• Credit cardsCredit cards•• PassportsPassports•• InIn--house traininghouse training•• Observation of accidentsObservation of accidents

NOTIFICATION OF ACCIDENTNOTIFICATION OF ACCIDENTNOTIFICATION OF ACCIDENT

• 24 hour contact• Staff recall• Accident team selection

•• 24 hour contact24 hour contact•• Staff recallStaff recall•• Accident team selectionAccident team selection

ON-SITE INVESTIGATIONONON--SITE INVESTIGATIONSITE INVESTIGATION

• Site safety• Walk through• Wreckage distribution diagram• Photography• Component identification

•• Site safetySite safety•• Walk throughWalk through•• Wreckage distribution diagramWreckage distribution diagram•• PhotographyPhotography•• Component identificationComponent identification

Initial Impact Point

Aircraft Flightpath

Final Impact Site

OFF-SITE INVESTIGATIONOFFOFF--SITE INVESTIGATIONSITE INVESTIGATION

• Witness interviews• Evidence gathering•• Witness interviewsWitness interviews•• Evidence gatheringEvidence gathering

ANALYSISANALYSISANALYSISOrganizational

Factors

UnsafeSupervision

Preconditionsfor

Unsafe Acts

UnsafeActs

REPORTINGREPORTINGREPORTING

• Who to?• 90 day limit• Reports are classified• Review of the report• Recommendations

•• Who to?Who to?•• 90 day limit90 day limit•• Reports are classifiedReports are classified•• Review of the reportReview of the report•• RecommendationsRecommendations

OTHER DFS RESPONSIBILITIESOTHER DFS RESPONSIBILITIESOTHER DFS RESPONSIBILITIES

• Pro-active safety management• Foreign military accident investigations•• ProPro--active safety managementactive safety management•• Foreign military accident investigationsForeign military accident investigations

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

• Staff turnover• Low experience levels• Other competing duties• Not totally independent• Good track record

•• Staff turnoverStaff turnover•• Low experience levelsLow experience levels•• Other competing dutiesOther competing duties•• Not totally independentNot totally independent•• Good track recordGood track record

QUESTIONSQUESTIONSQUESTIONS