CASA welcomes independent report
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) today released an independent report into the investigation of a major aircraft engine defect.
The defective engine was in an aircraft used by a Sydney gliding club and the problems were discovered by aircraft engineer David Dent in late 1996.
After correctly reporting the defects to CASA, Mr Dent became dissatisfied at the way CASA investigated the matter.
CASA engaged Professor Dennis Pearce to conduct an independent investigation into the issue in October 1998.
Professor Pearce's report concludes the Lycoming engine from the gliding club tug aircraft was in a dangerous state and could have failed at any time with tragic results.
CASA Chairman Dick Smith says the report clearly shows inaction by some CASA staff during the investigation into the engine defects and the consideration of further action.
Mr Smith says Mr Dent properly reported serious problems in the maintenance of the engine to CASA.
"I commend Mr Dent for taking the right action because safety in aviation relies on people in the industry promptly and accurately reporting problems," Mr Smith says.
"Unfortunately, we failed Mr Dent by not treating the information in the appropriate way. CASA staff were too slow in taking action and procedures and practices broke down.
"However, over the last year my new Board and the new Director of Aviation Safety have taken a wide range of actions to make CASA more open, transparent and accountable.
"CASA is now focussing very clearly on the need to properly investigate genuine safety concerns raised by industry."
CASA's Director of Aviation Safety, Mick Toller, says the actions of the staff outlined in the report by Professor Pearce are not representative of the vast majority of CASA employees.
Mr Toller says CASA's staff are extremely hard working and totally committed to aviation safety.
"I am the first to admit that in the past there have been problems in the way CASA has operated and in our relationship with the aviation industry.
"But everyone in CASA is committed to moving forward to deliver the best safety outcomes for the aviation industry and the travelling public."
Mr Smith says the CASA Board has taken a number of actions in the past year to ensure that malpractices evident at the time of Mr Dent's report of the engine defects are being stamped out.
"These include a new enforcement policy, centralisation of critical decisions on actions against operators and the setting up of an independent review system to report on complaints made against CASA. This review system is similar to an ombudsman and deals with complaints that cannot be resolved by normal internal processes."
Following the receipt of Professor Pearce's report CASA has:
- asked the Federal Police to investigate further;
- taken action against the engineer who worked on the defective engine; and
- begun action against a maintenance organisation that worked with the engineer and was involved in a number of alleged unauthorised aircraft engine overhauls.
Media contact
Peter Gibson
Phone: 02 6217 1015
Mobile 0419 296 446
20 January 1999
Ref: ME9901PR