Issue 4 – August 2021
LICENCE TO LEARN
Recreational Aviation Australia | ACN 070 931 645 | PO Box 1265 Fyshwick ACT 2609 members@raaus.com.au | www.raaus.com.au | 02 6280 4700
here to support our community Achieving a qualification is something to be proud of, be it a Recreational Pilot Certificate (RPC), a tail wheel endorsement or a Level 2 maintenance authority. Meeting a standard means that from here on in you’ll be consolidating those things you’ve learnt in your training and putting them into practice. It really is that Licence to Learn. One of the beauties of aviation is that no two days are the same. The variation in aviation activities we participate in, the conditions in which we operate, and the technology we apply, keeps it interesting. Because of this, each time I go flying I critique myself to determine what I can do better next time. And then when I next go flying, I make a conscious effort to recall those things I wish I’d done better last time and incrementally improve. At RAAus we believe in self-improvement and in supporting everyone in our community. It’s a safe environment where its ok to not be the expert and to seek assistance from others so that we build our own knowledge and skills. This supportive environment also seeks to leverage a healthy safety reporting culture which allows us to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes to prepare ourselves for the unexpected. A key benefit of this culture is that we improve our own skills and knowledge at a rate much greater than if we were only leveraging our own experiences. So I can’t be more encouraging of our members to buy-in to safety reporting as it’ll benefit all of us! I hope you find this Licence to Learn to be a valuable resource. Stay safe,
Matt Bouttell CEO Recreational Aviation Australia
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
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the importance of reporting Safety continues to be at the heart of everything we do at RAAus, stretching across our Flight Operations and Airworthiness and Maintenance departments as well as playing a large role in our audit systems, training and development programs and safety promotions. The content contained within this edition of Licence to Learn focuses on our top three safety focus areas for 2021. These are: 1. Loss of control 2. Near miss events 3. Engine failure or malfunction occurrences As outlined within the review of our occurrences for the first half of 2021, these occurrence types are the most commonly occurring occurrence types reported to RAAus. You will also see several occurrence summaries at the rear of this publication which outline real occurrences by RAAus members relevant to these occurrence types. The data presented within our safety publications is only possible through the receipt of occurrence reports from our members. Safety reporting is a compulsory requirement for all pilots and maintainers for any occurrence which has the potential to impact safety. Receipt of occurrence reports allows the generation of valuable data, trend monitoring and allows RAAus to scope our safety promotions to ensure you are receiving the most valuable safety information. While you may feel that reporting an occurrence will not result in the ability for an improvement in safety, by failing to report you are depriving other members of the opportunity to learn. You may also not be aware of existing trends that RAAus is monitoring that allows us to work with other aviation organisations and airports to improve safety for everyone. I hope the information contained within this publication better informs all RAAus members of valuable safety information, however, if there is anything you would like to see more of in future editions, please email us at safety@raaus.com.au. More safety information and occurrence summaries are available at safety.raaus.com.au Until our next edition, stay safe!
Cody Calder Innovation & Improvement Executive Recreational Aviation Australia
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CONTENTS 2021 Half Year Safety Data................................................................... 4 Avoiding Loss of Control..................................................................... 4 The Price of Safety................................................................................ 8 Too Close for Comfort.......................................................................... 6 Top 10 Tips for Maintainers............................................................... 13 Occurrence Information Summaries................................................. 15 Disclaimer............................................................................................ 17
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2021 half year safety data Data from the first half of 2021 shows common trends in-line with both 2020 and 2019 occurrences, with loss of control, near miss, and engine failure or malfunction occurrences coming in as the top three most commonly reported occurrence types within RAAus operations. Across 2020, RAAus saw a downward trend in the number of these top occurrences types compared to 2019, however, this is likely due to a reduction in total hours flown by RAAus aircraft due to impacts from COVID-19. We did, however, see an increase in the number of engine failure or malfunction events. Throughout the first half of 2021, engine failure or malfunction events have reduced, coming in as the third most common occurrence type reported. Loss of control accidents continue to be the number one cause of fatal and serious accident within RAAus operations, making up two out of three occurrences resulting in serious injury to personnel in the first half of 2021. Near miss occurrences also continue to be reported regularly to RAAus, occurring most commonly within the circuit area. RAAus reminds pilots to consider what actions may be taken within your flying operations in order to prevent these occurrence types and recommends talking to your local instructor about further training, particularly in relation to avoiding a loss of control event in flight!
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TOP 5 OCCURRENCE TYPES OCCURRENCE TYPE
JAN-JUNE 2020 2021
2019
Loss of Control
16
20
34
Near Miss
16
14
21
Engine Failure or 11 Malfunction
36
35
Hard Landing
10
10
18
Landing gear issues
8
18
17
DAMAGE
JAN-JUNE 2020 2021
2019
Destroyed
6
7
15
Substantial
15
28
38
Minor
26
47
54
INJURIES
JAN-JUNE 2020 2021
2019
Fatal
0
2
5
Serious
3
8
3
Minor
4
5
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avoiding loss of control Over the past 5 years more than 60% of RAAus fatal accidents are believed to have occurred due to loss of control events, but what do we mean when we talk about loss of control, and what are the most common scenarios resulting in a loss of control event? At RAAus, we refer to two forms of loss of control events: • Loss of control in flight (LOC-I), and; • Runway loss of control (R-LOC) Loss of control in flight events refer to occurrences where the aircraft operates outside of the normal flight envelope, or when normal control of the aircraft is lost during flight. These often result from failure to prevent or recover from a stall and/ or upset. This may refer to occurrences immediately after take-off, during the final approach to land, or during any other phase of flight, most commonly
occurring within a turn. Loss of control events are the number one cause of fatal accident, not only within RAAus operations, but within light aircraft operations globally. The most common cause of loss of control in flight is stall/spin events. Another form of loss of control event is entry into a spiral dive often from VFR flight into IMC which accounts for approximately 1 in 10 fatal accidents in Australia. Runway loss of control refers to occurrences where directional control of the aircraft is lost, often resulting in a ground loop or runway excursion. Runway loss of control is one of the most common causes of aircraft damage and can often be avoided by maintaining a stable approach when landing and making an early decision to commence a go-around if necessary.
Who is at risk? Loss of control in flight can occur to anyone. In fact, fatal loss of control accidents within RAAus operations range from low time pilots through to pilots with many thousands of hours experience. One area where the risk of a loss of control in flight is increased is during farming, mustering and low level flights or any other flight where a pilot may be focused on an object on the ground. During these operations, the pilot often commences a turn at below normal cruise speed. With an increased stall speed introduced by the angle of bank and with the pilot distracted by a point on the ground, it can take only seconds for airspeed to decrease reducing safety margins. If left unnoticed, this scenario may quickly lead to a stall. With these operations often conducted between 500-1000 feet, this often does not leave sufficient altitude to recover from a stall/spin event. Runway loss of control events occur more commonly for pilots with less than 250 hours total flying experience, or with low experience on aircraft type. In many cases these occurrences are linked to unstable environmental conditions such as turbulence or gusty wind conditions, or occur during the mismanagement of a hard or unstable landing. Pilots are reminded of the importance of electing to conduct a go-around if they are not stable on final approach or if they encounter a bounce upon landing. Early decision making could have undoubtedly saved many an aircraft from a runway loss of control event, and unfortunately, could have also saved lives.
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Loss of control in flight Loss of control is a broad category of occurrence which may occur due to a number of different factors. The most common scenario is inadvertent entry into stall and in many cases, is followed by entry into a spin.
Assuming a 40kt stall speed, if the pilot enters a 60deg turn, the stall speed is now 56kts. Angle of Bank
Load Factor
% increase in stall speed
Example stall speed
0
1
0
40
45
1.4
20
48
1. Loss of control after take-off
60
2
40
56
Loss of control after take-off may occur due to a number of different reasons. The first of these is due to the failure to conduct appropriate performance calculations based on weight, density altitude or surface conditions. This may result in decreased take-off performance leaving the pilot unable to clear obstacles on departure, or insufficient runway available for the take-off. During this situation pilots may instinctively pull back on the controls in an attempt to clear obstacles, resulting in an unrecoverable stall.
75
4
100
80
So let’s take a look at some of the most common scenarios:
Another cause of loss of control after take-off is when the aircraft encounters an upset due to environmental conditions or when the pilot is distracted, allowing the aircraft to become too slow during the climb out or turn onto crosswind. Failure to identify and prevent a stall during this phase of flight often leaves insufficient altitude for safe recovery from a stall.
2. Loss of control in the turn Loss of control events commonly occur in the turn due to the increase in stall speed with an increased angle of bank. One scenario where this may be emphasised is during the base to final turn where a pilot overshoots the centreline. The tendency in this scenario is to increase the angle of bank and apply more rudder to regain centreline, however in doing so, the result may be an uncoordinated, high angle of bank turn at low speed which may lead to a spin. It is highly important that pilots recognise the increase in stall speed in the turn and avoid conducting steep turns at low airspeed and/ or low altitude. Pilots should ensure they apply power when increasing angle of bank to minimise airspeed loss during the turn. The following table shows the increase in stall speed with an increase in load factor.
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From the information above, if your aircraft has a stall speed of 40kts and you are approaching to land at 50kts then entry into a 45 degree turn onto base or final already significantly decreases your margin of safety with stall speed increasing to 48kts. If the angle of bank is further increased to 60 degrees, such as in the case of overshooting the runway centreline, then the stall speed increases to 56kts and the aircraft may encounter a stall. This may all happen in a matter of seconds resulting in a loss of control. It is for this reason that the risk of encountering a loss of control is increased during farm flying operations or any flight where the pilot is circling a point on the ground. With the pilot focusing on a point outside the aircraft it is easy to become distracted, slowly increasing the angle of bank and failing to identify a reduction in airspeed. This may be further exacerbated by an unbalanced turn increasing the likelihood of encountering a spin. Pilots conducting farm flying or spotting operations are highly encouraged to talk to your instructor about further training available to develop essential skills for conducting these operations.
3. Loss of control following engine failure Another common cause of a loss of control is following an engine failure. This is particularly important during an engine failure after take-off, where the aircraft is established in the climb. When an engine fails during this phase of flight, the pilot has little time available to immediately lower the nose in order to establish and maintain best glide speed. Failure to act immediately following an engine failure after take-off may result in a stall with insufficient altitude to
recover. Pilots should ensure they carry out a pretakeoff safety brief to rehearse the actions in the event of an engine failure after take-off and avoid the temptation to turn back towards the runway which increases the likelihood of a loss of control.
4. Loss of control during the go-around The go around is another scenario in which loss of control events commonly occur. These occurrences often occur due to a late decision to conduct a go-around when the pilot is attempting to quickly regain a climb. The tendency here is to apply full power and immediately pitch upward into a climbing attitude. This may be further complicated by trim settings and managing yaw from the increase in power. It is important that pilots regularly practise goarounds remembering that the first phase is to achieve level flight to increase airspeed, then to commence a climb. Wherever possible, pilots should make an early decision to commence a go-around rather than leaving this to the last possible opportunity. When was the last time you practiced a go-around?
Tips to avoid loss of control events: 1. Stall recognition and recovery Do you know the signs of a stall? What are the characteristics specific to your aircraft? When was the last time you practised stalling? Stall recognition and recovery is the best method of avoiding loss of control events. If you feel like you may be a little rusty, why not contact your local instructor to practise stalls or conduct more advanced training. In addition to this, aircraft owners should consider fitment of a stall warning device as a last line of defence against encountering a stall. 2. Emergency drills Pilots should brief themselves on the actions in the event of an emergency prior to each and every flight. This includes the actions in the event of an engine failure after take-off, during which the first action must be to lower the nose. Pilots should regularly review emergency procedures and practise forced landings to familiarise themselves with the actions to be taken in the event of an emergency.
3. Performance Pilots must consider performance calculations relevant to their aircraft prior to every take-off and landing. It is important that pilots understand and consider the effects of weight, temperature, density altitude, and runway surface prior to each take-off and landing and always use full available runway length, even when you know sufficient length is available. 4. Distractions Pilots must continue to manage distractions during all phases of flight, however, this is particularly relevant at low altitudes. Pilots should ensure distractions are minimised wherever possible below 1000ft AGL, such as managing devices and communicating with passengers. Particular attention should be made to avoid becoming fixated on a point outside of the cockpit. Operations such as farm spotting or flying around a particular landmark are a common cause of loss of control events where the pilot is distracted and fails to identify increasing angle of bank and/or decreasing airspeed, leading to a loss of control. 5. Environmental Conditions Pilots should conduct thorough pre-flight briefings including review of weather forecasts, even if only conducting a local flight. Pilots should ensure conditions are within their personal limitations based on their total experience or hours on aircraft type. In the event that the pilot encounters turbulence or windshear during final approach, a go-around should be conducted to avoid a potential hard landing or loss of control. 6. Airspeed Pilots should be familiar with important airspeeds and limitations contained within the pilot operating handbook for your aircraft and ensure that these speeds are flown accurately at all times. If operating in gusty or thermal conditions, add a buffer to climb-out and approach speeds to offer an additional margin of safety. In the event that a stable approach is not maintained on final, pilots should elect to commence a go-around. Every year a number of loss of control events are reported which may have been avoided by an early decision to commence a go-around.
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the price of safety What price would you be willing to spend to ensure the safety of your friends, family, and yourself? $100? 1000? 10,000? I am often surprised at some of the actions taken by pilots in order to save a few dollars. One area in particular I am passionate about promoting is the fitment of stall warning or angle of attack devices. In an environment where loss of control events are the number one cause of fatal accident world-wide, I believe all aircraft owners should consider the fitment of a device to warn pilots of an impending stall!
Reed-type stall warning device
Whilst training for stall recognition and avoidance and familiarising yourself with your aircraft stall characteristics must always be the primary barrier to protect against encountering a stall in flight, a stall warning device may just act as a final barrier to safety, and better yet - They may not be as expensive as you think! Let’s take a quick look at a few different types of stall warning device available to aircraft owners: Vane-type stall warning device
If you have ever flown a Cessna, you will likely recall the unmistakable screeching of the stall warning during landing. This is the sound of a reed-type stall warning device. This type of stall warning device is a small slot on the leading edge of the wing. As the angle of attack increases the reed (much like that in a musical instrument) sounds, alerting the pilot of a stall. Stall Strips
No doubt you have seen aircraft fitted with a small tab on the leading edge of the wing. This type of stall warning device uses a small tab, or vane, to detect change of the stagnation point on the wing. When an aircraft airspeed decreases, the angle of attack increases and the stagnation point moves aft. This change in stagnation point activates an electric switch which engages an aural alert to notify the pilot of an impending stall.
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Have you ever noticed wedge-shaped strips fitted to the leading edge of an aircraft wing? Stall strips may be fitted to an aircraft and offer two advantages. Firstly when a stall does occur, stall
strips create a more controlled stall across the wing. In addition to this, they also increase wing buffeting before a full stall, alterting the pilot that a stall is about to occur. Stall strips may be used in addition to an aural stall warning device.
Does your aircraft have a stall warning device fitted?
Angle of attack devices
If not, what price are you willing to put on safety? RAAus recommends aircraft owners contact their aircraft manufacturer or local representative to discuss the possibility of fitting a stall warning device to your aircraft.
Angle of attack devices, as the name suggests, displays the aircraft’s angle of attack. These devices may be displayed on a visual display and/or an aural alert. Most commonly used on commerical and military aircraft, angle of attack devices can alert pilots prior to encountering a stall. Whilst these devices historically were much more expensive than other stall warning options available, many modern avionics systems may permit the display of angle of attack information or have the ability to have this information added. More recently, devices have become available to display angle of attack without the need for the installation of addional probes on the aircraft, known as probeless angle of attack devices. One such device is the uAvionix AV-20S and AV-30 which only requires inputs from the pitot-static ports and provide a range of additional features such as attitude, slip/skid and G-meter whilst offering aural angle of attack alarms to warn the pilot of a stall.
Differing requirements apply depending on your aircraft type and certification. Fitment of stall warning devices in some cases may result in noncompliance and if not fitted correctly, may negatively impact safety.
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too close for comfort! In the first half of 2021, RAAus had 16 occurrences relating to near miss or loss of separation between aircraft, many of which resulted in one or both aircraft taking immediate action to avoid a collision. So how is it that in the modern of technology, with the use of radios and other collision avoidance technology, that near miss events continue to be one of the most common occurrence types? Well, of course, these events come down to human factors: The pilot! The most common similarity in near collision events is that they most regularly occur within the circuit.
What can you do to avoid a near miss? There are a number of contributing factors that often lead to a near miss occurrence including high workload, poor look-out or radio calls, distraction, and non-standard circuit joining procedures.
Radio carriage is mandatory for aircraft operating at or within the vicinity of a registered or certified aerodrome and for aircraft operating above 5000ft AMSL in class G airspace. Remember, ‘in the vicinity’ is within 10 nm, and at a height where your operations could be in the way of other traffic. When operating outside the vicinity of an aerodrome, pilots should monitor the appropriate Area VHF frequency.
Radio broadcasts must include: (a) the name of the aerodrome; (b) the aircraft’s type and call sign; (c) the position of the aircraft and the pilot’s intentions. The following table provides recommended broadcasts in the vicinity of non-controlled aerodromes:
All of these factors are standard barriers that work together to maintain traffic separation, however, when the holes in the Swiss cheese start to align and multiple barriers fail, the outcome may result in two aircraft passing close by one another, or in the worst case scenario, a mid-air collision.
The following are top recommendations for avoiding a near miss occurrence: 1. Correct radio procedures Correct radio procedures is the most effective tool for traffic awareness, however, this does rely on other traffic being fitted with a radio that is in use, tuned to the correct frequency and requires pilots to be actively listening to calls. CAR 166C requires pilots of aircraft carrying a serviceable radio which they are qualified to use, to make a broadcast whenever it is reasonably necessary to do so to avoid a collision, or the risk of a collision, with another aircraft at a non-controlled aerodrome. (Image source: https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/5779431/figure-4.png)
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Pilots should ensure procedures are in place to confirm they are operating on the correct frequency prior to flight or when operating within the vicinity of an aerodrome. In addition to this, pilots should actively monitor radio calls in order to build a mental picture of what other traffic is operating within the local area including their location and intentions. This is particularly important where traffic on the local frequency may include aircraft operating at multiple airfields. If you miss a radio call, or are not sure where someone may be located, always ask for other traffic to “say again” in order to ensure traffic is not missed. Near miss occurrences often occur due to pilots not making radio calls as they believe they are the only aircraft operating within the vicinity of the airfield, for this reason, radio calls should be made even if you believe there is no other traffic in the local area. 2. Correct circuit joining procedures A common cause of near miss occurrences is failure by a pilot to conduct normal circuit joining procedures. In many cases pilots are surprised to find an aircraft join the circuit for the reciprocal runway to that of which other aircraft are already established. Whenever possible pilots should elect to join overhead. Not only does this allow for the pilot to establish the wind direction, but also allows pilots to visually identify other aircraft established within the circuit.
Particular care should be taken to avoid complacency when operating at your home airfield. In many cases, pilots choose to join downwind or for a straight in approach and fail to identify other traffic established within the circuit. 3. Lookout, lookout, lookout During VFR flight our eyes should remain outside the cockpit at least 70% of the time, however in a changing world full of additional avionics, GPS devices and electronic flight bags (EFBs), we have an increased number of distractions leaving our eyes inside the cockpit more than ever before. Despite improvements in radios, GPS and traffic information, it is still just as important, if not more important, that we fight the urge to rely on our devices and turn our eyes outwards. Prior to entering the vicinity of an aerodrome, or when established within the circuit, pilots should close their ipads and avoid other distractions in an attempt to visually identify any traffic you have heard, or may not have heard, operating in the area. Of course our ability to identify other aircraft is only as good as our scanning technique. The human eye requires 1-2 seconds once stationary in order to focus. When conducting a visual scan of the horizon our eyes are unable to focus if one continuous sweep is made. It is therefore important that pilots divide the sky up into 10 to 15 degree blocks, stopping to allow the eyes to focus within each block. 4. Planning Pilots must ensure they have completed thorough flight planning prior to each and every flight. This is particularly important when operating cross country, or at an unfamiliar airfield. Pilots should take note of any airfields along their planned route in order to avoid inadvertently transiting through an area on the incorrect frequency with the potential to conflict with circuit traffic at an aerodrome. Whilst en-route, or prior to entering the vicinity of an airfield, pilots should have pre-briefed their arrival and familiarised themselves with local procedures. This means that the pilot can focus on identifying other traffic and maintaining an active lookout rather than reviewing local charts when joining the circuit. Cross country flights must be conducted using the appropriate hemispherical cruising levels to avoid potential conflict with opposite direction traffic in flight.
(Image Source: https://vfrg.casa.gov.au/operations/non-controlledaerodromes/arrivals-departures-and-transits/)
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As pilots, we are all guilty of allowing complacency to cloud our flying operations, however with near miss occurrences occurring all too regularly, pilots should revise their operating procedures in order to go back to basics, and help avoid near miss occurrence! (Image source: https://vfrg.casa.gov.au/operations/cruising-levelrequirements/prohibited-restricted-and-danger-areas/)
Help us improve safety for all members by reporting at:
REPORTING.RAAUS.COM.AU 12
top 10 tips for maintainers Engine failure or malfunction events continue to be one of the most common occurrence types reported to RAAus. As an RAAus maintainer, it is essential that maintenance is carried out regularly and as per the manufacturer’s aircraft maintenance manual. Here are some top tips to ensure your maintenance is up to standard in order to prevent avoidable failures from occurring to you! 1. Scheduled maintenance Scheduled maintenance is essential in taking preventative measures to maintain safe operation of an aircraft and is performed at regular intervals including 25 hourly, 50 hourly, 100 hourly and annual inspections. It is essential that scheduled maintenance is carried out in accordance with the aircraft maintenance manual not extending the required intervals. Remember, an annual inspection must be completed no later than 12 months from your last annual or 100 hourly inspection, even if the aircraft has completed less than 100 hours. 2. S ervice bulletins Aircraft and engine manufacturers regularly issue service bulletins based on data collected from occurrences or identified safety concerns. Service bulletins are vital in ensuring the continued safe operation of your aircraft and should be checked when conducting scheduled maintenance. Make sure you are listed with your local aircraft distributer to stay up to date on notices relevant to your aircraft. 3. U nscheduled maintenance From time to time, pilots or maintainers will identify a component that has failed or is identified as being close to failure. Pilots and maintainers must regularly inspect aircraft for any unscheduled maintenance that may be required over and above that included within the routine maintenance schedule. Maintainers may take the opportunity to conduct maintenance over and above that required within the maintenance manual in order to prevent component failure. This is even more important for aircraft that are flying regularly or used for the conduct of flight training. 4. L anding gear inspections Due to the weight limitations of LSA and RAAus aircraft, components are built in order to minimise weight wherever possible. One of the most common failures reported to RAAus is undercarriage failure which may result in significant damage to an aircraft. Maintainers should pay particularly close attention to inspecting the undercarriage of their aircraft in an attempt to identify signs of potential failure. Aircraft owners should consider routine replacement of undercarriage parts, even if this is not required within the maintenance manual, particularly on aging aircraft with a high number of landings and/or hours or aircraft used within a flight training school. 5. O il filter inspection Routinely inspecting aircraft oil filters at time of replacement is a way of identifying potential engine concerns prior to an engine failure occurring. During this process, the oil filter is cut open to inspect the oil filter for metal fragments which may indicate excessive engine wear. Oil filter cutters may be purchase by local aircraft supply companies and is a quick way of identifying engine concerns before they become a problem.
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6. C ompression testing Engine compression testing is a way of regularly monitoring engine health by determining that the engine is maintaining compression and may identify piston or cylinder damage prior to a serious failure occurring. Compression testing is conducted through the use of a pressure gauge installed into the spark plug socket and compressed air is applied to test the level of compression the engine will maintain. Maintainers should ensure they own the appropriate equipment to regularly conduct compression testing on their aircraft to identify potential concerns prior to a serious failure occurring. 7. C alibrated equipment A number of occurrences are reported to RAAus that may be avoided through the use of correct, calibrated tools and equipment. This is essential, particularly in relation to torque settings on bolts, including propeller settings. Incorrect torque settings or failure to use appropriate calibrated equipment may result in significant mechanical failure which may be easily avoidable. 8. M aintenance Logbook Aircraft logbooks are a mandatory document which must be completed for all maintenance actions taken on an aircraft. In addition to showing maintenance history, a full and detailed maintenance logbook increases the future sale value of your aircraft as a potential buyer can review maintenance conducted and ensure compliance. If maintenance is not included within your maintenance logbook then it may be assumed that this has not been completed which may be an expensive exercise if the maintenance logbook is audited, or during transfer to a new owner. 9. U se of Approved Parts We’ve all heard the term “Bunnings Aerospace”, however, whilst basic aircraft parts may appear the same as those from your local trade store, they are often made from high grade materials with much higher quality assurance procedures. Failure to use approved parts may result in significant safety concerns or expensive non-compliance upon review of your aircraft. Maintainers should always ensure they use the approved parts during maintenance activities. 10. T he Human Factor Every year, a number of avoidable maintenance related occurrences are reported to RAAus which occur due to human factors. This may be as simple as failing to correctly tighten hoses and may result in serious consequences. Maintainers must take care in order to ensure they conduct maintenance thoroughly, using a checklist where possible, and that all attempts to avoid distractions are made to avoid disruption to work flow. Maintainers should also ensure duplicate inspections are conducted where required and that all work is checked, and checked again, to ensure correct conduct of maintenance for a safe return to flight. IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS There are a number of maintenance training providers around Australia who can help you review and increase your maintenance skills in order to improve safety, including the RAAus L1 practical maintenance training. Keep an eye out for a course near you, or reach out to the team at RAAus to enquire about maintenance training opportunities available to you! Maintenance of an aircraft is a task which must be taken very seriously due to the unforgiving nature of the environment in which we operate. All maintainers have an obligation to ensure they are competent to carry out a task prior to performing it. If you are unsure, always reach out to someone in your local area with more advanced knowledge of maintenance practices to assist. Another outcome of incomplete or poor maintenance practices RAAus has become aware of is that insurance companies may not pay out in the event of an accident if you cannot prove that your maintenance has been conducted thoroughly and in accordance with the aircraft maintenance manual. Avoid the possibility of being tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket by ensuring maintenance standards are completed and recorded to a high standard.
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OCCURRENCE INFORMATION SUMMARIES Occurrence Type:
Accident
Occurrence Type:
Incident
Occurrence Classification:
Loss of control
Occurrence Classification:
Coolant Hose Detachment
Injuries:
Serious
Injuries:
Nil
Damage:
Aircraft Destroyed
Damage:
Nil
Description: A low hour pilot commenced a flight over their rural property to inspect water holes. During the flight the pilot reported spotting cattle located between trees and descended to 500ft to check they were alive. Whilst the pilot was distracted by cattle on the ground, the aircraft entered a stall/spin from approximately 500ft AGL. The pilot managed to recover from the spin at tree height, however, the left wing impacted trees and the aircraft collided with terrain. Outcome and Learning Opportunity: The aircraft (pictured below) was destroyed on impact and the pilot sustained serious injuries. The pilot was referred to a local instructor to conduct further training in order to safely conduct similar flight operations in the future. Pilots are reminded of the importance of managing distractions during flight and conducting additional specialist training, particularly when conducting operations such as farming inspection flights. Whilst operations of this nature may appear simple, RAAus has had a number of serious and fatal accidents reported in similar occurrences. Aircraft owners should consider fitment of a stall warning device which may assist in preventing similar occurrences.
Description: A pilot conducting a local flight carried out a preflight inspection and runups. Whilst departing the pilot heard an engine temperature warning and identified the cylinder head temperature had been exceeded and was displaying in the red. The throttle was reduced to idle and the pilot landed uneventfully. Outcome and Learning Opportunity: Further inspection into the cause of the overtemperature warning identified that a coolant hose had detached. RAAus reminds pilots of the importance of carrying out a thorough daily inspection as per the aircraft flight manual. For this particular aircraft type the manufacturer requires removal of the engine cowl for thorough inspection prior to flight. Maintainers are also reminded of the importance of double-checking connections following maintenance to ensure hoses are fitted correctly.
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Occurrence Type:
Incident
Occurrence Classification:
Near Collision
Injuries:
Nil
Damage:
Nil
Description: An RAAus aircraft was conducting circuits during a dual flight training lesson. The aircraft was established downwind behind another aircraft who was conducting wide circuits. The flight training aircraft communicated with the other aircraft requesting to overtake on the inside of the circuit. The overtake was carried out uneventfully, however, the pilot did not identify a third aircraft on final. Another aircraft in the circuit identified that the flight training aircraft and another aircraft were now both established on final, one above the other, and made a radio call to advise the two aircraft of their close proximity. The flight training aircraft commenced a go-around before visually identifying the other aircraft on final, who was reported to have not made any radio calls. Outcome and Learning Opportunity: RAAus receives a number of near miss occurrences, particularly within the circuit area. Pilots are reminded of the importance of maintaining standard circuit and joining procedures at all times as well as maintaining a thorough lookout and communications within the circuit. Near miss occurrences have the potential to result in fatal outcomes and are often avoidable through normal joining procedures and alerted see and avoid principles. Pilots not rely on radio calls for traffic information and elect to join overhead wherever possible.
Occurrence Type:
Complaint
Occurrence Classification:
Non-compliant operations
Injuries:
Nil
Damage:
Nil
Description: RAAus received a complaint reporting that a former RAAus member who did not hold a Recreational Pilot Certificate (RPC) had operated an unregistered aircraft.
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Outcome and Learning Opportunity: RAAus contacted the person involved in the report who did not confirm operating the aircraft, however, agreed that no flights would be conducted until the aircraft was re-registered. It was identified that the aircraft had been fitted with an unapproved engine type which requires resolution prior to being registered with RAAus. Flights conducted in an unregistered aircraft or without the holding an RAAus membership or flight qualifications are a breach of the Civil Aviation Act. As such, this matter was directed to CASA for further investigation. Members are reminded of the importance of maintaining current membership, aircraft registration and flight qualifications, including BFR and medical, prior to operating an aircraft.
Occurrence Type:
Accident
Occurrence Classification:
Hard Landing
Injuries:
Nil
Damage:
Substantial
Description: The owner of a new aircraft was conducting a flight to his home airfield. The pilot had conducted a number of familiarisation flights and circuits prior to the flight. A normal approach was carried out at the pilot’s home airfield, however, upon landing the aircraft bounced and landed hard, resulting in substantial damage to the nose wheel followed by a prop strike with possible engine damage. Outcome and Learning Opportunity: The pilot reported that trees along the side of the runway may have resulted in windshear in the final approach to land. Low experience on type is also a likely contributing factor in this accident. Pilots are reminded of the importance of ensuring they conduct familiarisation training on new aircraft types prior to operation and to ensure they operate within personal limits. Pilots should be prepared to commence a go-around in the event that a stabilised approach and landing is not achieved. Due to the lightweight nature of RAAus aircraft, maintainers are reminded of the importance of inspecting undercarriage components for signs of wear and pilots must ensure they report hard landings so a hard landing inspection may be completed to identify any possible undercarriage damage prior to failure. Undercarriage failure is a common occurrence type reported to RAAus.
Disclaimer The preceding occurrence summaries have been selected for member educational purposes only. These examples have been provided as they offer opportunity for member education, to improve visibility of occurrences, and in an attempt to prevent similar events from occurring in the future. These summaries are not supplied to attribute blame to anyone involved and have been de-identified for use. Some details may have been omitted or slightly modified as required for inclusion in this publication. Note: The following resources should be referenced for the latest state and federal health information and updates on restrictions in relation to COVID-19:
The Australian Government Department of Health https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert Safe Work Australia https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/covid-19-information-workplaces Individual State Health Departments NSW
https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19
VIC
https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus
QLD
https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19
SA
https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/
WA
https://www.wa.gov.au/government/covid-19-coronavirus
NT
https://coronavirus.nt.gov.au/
TAS
https://www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/
ACT
https://www.covid19.act.gov.au/
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RAAUS.COM.AU Additional Aviation Safety Resources: members.raa.asn.au/safety/ https://www.raa.asn.au/our-organisation/covid-19-updates/ https://www.casa.gov.au/about-us/covid-19-advice-industry/fit-fly www.airservicesaustralia.com/publications/safety-publications/ www.casa.gov.au/publications-and-resources www.defence.gov.au/DASP/Media/DASAPublications.asp airports.asn.au/airport-safety-week-resources/ www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/air-safety-institute 17
2021
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