David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 27 June 2012:

With reference to the incident at Darwin airport on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 involving the Adagold Aviation Pty Ltd contracted Middle East Area of Operation (MEAO) aircraft, operated by the carrier Hi Fly:

(1) Can a full and detailed description be provided of the ‘heavy landing’ that occurred during this incident.

(2) Given that the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure provided a very different answer to the one that was provided at the 2011-12 additional estimates hearing of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, stating that the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) made no inspections of the MEAO contracted aircraft, (question on notice no. 1727, Senate Hansard, 8 May 2012, p. 2862), if CASA did not inspect the two Hi Fly aircraft, why was it said that they did.

(3) Who inspected the aircraft involved in the ‘heavy landing’ incident and what damage was found to have occurred.

(4) For how long was this aircraft out of service.

(5) Given that it was also said that bad weather conditions contributed to the incident, yet weather reports for 28 February 2012 record that it was a fair and clear day with light winds, why was it claimed that bad weather contributed to the ‘heavy landing’.

(6) Can a copy of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau report of the incident be provided.

Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Defence has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

(1) On 29 February 2021, MEAO Air Sustainment Aircraft suffered a heavy landing at Darwin Airport, while en-route to the Middle East. The heavy landing was assessed to be due to weather and wind effect. The aircraft completed the landing and proceeded to the terminal without further incident. No injuries were reported as a result of this event.

The replacement aircraft was dispatched to resume the service approximately 24 hours later, in accordance with contractual requirements. The aircraft suffering the heavy landing underwent technical inspection at Darwin.

On 9 March 2012, this aircraft departed Darwin and recovered to a Lufthansa deeper maintenance facility for further detailed investigation and assessment. No damage to the aircraft was found as a result of the landing and it was cleared by the relevant Portuguese and European aviation authorities to resume service on 11 April 2012.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau continues on investigate the incident in accordance with its standards.

(2) The response made by the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure is correct in that no safety inspection of the MEAO contracted aircraft was made by CASA in relation to the hard landing incident. CASA has conducted a total of four safety inspections since contract commencement in November 2010 and full details are contained in the response to Question on Notice No. 113 taken from the Senate Additional Estimates hearing on 15 February 2012. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) continues to investigate the incident in accordance with its standard procedures.

(3) Initial inspections were undertaken by the aircraft operator Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (LAME) in accordance with European and national aviation authority regulations. Further detailed inspection was undertaken by LAME at the Lufthansa maintenance facility. No damage was found to have occurred as a result of this incident.

(4) The aircraft was out of service for approximately six weeks, from 29 February 2012 until 11 April 2012. See response to part 1 above for further details.

(5) The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is investigating the incident and a full report is expected in due course.

(6) As at 9 July 2012, the investigation by the ATSB was still ongoing. The report status can be monitored and a copy obtained from the ATSB website (www.atsb.gov.au)