Lockhart River May 7, 2005….9 years ago – Minister Truss – remember

The ninth anniversary of the Transair crash at Lockhart River at 11:44 am, May 7 2005, is almost upon us. Now is a fine time to remember those who were killed, and the grief that their families still relive today. I post this for one reason and one reason only, and that is to let the families, friends, colleagues and associates of those killed in that accident know that those deaths, injustices, and the pain that troubles and haunts those whose lives go on are not for one moment forgotten.

I have attached below some links to the accidents history. There may be some of our more junior pilots out there who may not be familiar with the accident. For others this may serve as a timely reminder or be an event worth pondering over when we sit back and look at the state of our industry.

Coroners report;
http://www.courts.qld.gov.au/__data/…h-20070817.pdf

ATSB report;
Investigation: 200501977 – Collision with Terrain – Fairchild Metro 23 aircraft, VH-TFU 11km NW Lockhart River Aerodrome, 7 May 2005

Senate report;
http://www.aph.gov.au/binaries/senat…ort/report.pdf

R.I.P

Well done – and a glowing reminder of all those unnecessary deaths in such miserable circumstances.

Perhaps a glowing reminder of the corrupt, incompetent, pack of a….holes
who people the halls of our so called regulator. One can only dream one day the chickens will come home to roost.

The LHR tragedy should never have happened and is attributable to the regulator casa, failing to undertake it’s proper surveillance, allowing operations to breach the CAAct and as exposed through time, involve serious cover-ups at high levels within casa and misleading reports by atsb.

We should all [pilots, operators, owners] look at the underlying issues that have been exposed over a period of time.

The most recent FOI on casa, by Shane Urquhart, which involved an appeal to the Information Commissioner, only gave information in August 2013 [8 1/2 years after the accident].

There is no justice in that and some of the information supports the suppositions and allegations made by Shane and other families [Norris Family], that there was something seriously wrong at the regulator end.

In fact, legal action is continuing in the US.

The PelAir inquiry showed conclusively that casa had interfered with due process, which was alleged at the time of the Lockhart River inquiries.

So there is a serious overtone to this, the ninth anniversary of Lockhart River:

• casa is still doing the same things;

• There are serious exposed deficiencies in casa [and atsb] process;

• Australia could be downgraded by ICAO/ FAA;

We don’t want another smoking hole, it is up to the Politicians and the ASRR to listen to industry and ensure that proper changes are made and that the regulator is gutted and made properly responsible for it’s mistakes.

Where there have been illegal activities or improper process, that these be properly dealt with.

As others have said, too many people have a vested interest in simply ignoring what is going on and advising the Minister that the complainants from the industry “…are just miscreants and complainers…”.

This must change.