SWIFT
ACTION
Amberley aids crash injured
By LACW Simone Liebelt
AN
emergency response team from RAAF Base Amberley arrived at the
site of a Black Hawk accident less than 30 minutes after the Army
chopper issued a mayday call on February 12.
The Black Hawk crashed with eight soldiers on board during a training
exercise near Mount Walker west of the base.
When the crash alarm sounded, personnel across the base were immediately
put into action as the Amberley Airfield Emergency Plan was activated.
First to be dispatched was an Aeromedical Evacuation team from
No. 1 Air Transportable Health Squadron, along with Environmental
Health (ENVH) and Base Fire Section personnel.
Another Black Hawk involved in the same exercise as the one that
crashed fl ew them to the site. A road-based response followed,
carrying further medical crews and support personnel and equipment
from nearly every unit of the base.
Joining Army personnel already at the scene, AME crews began treating
casualties while fi refi ghters and ENVH assessed the site for
potential hazards produced by the damaged aircraft.
Next to arrive were local police, ambulance and fire services,
two civil search and rescue helicopters and further Amberley-based
rescue crews.
Six Army members injured in the accident were stabilised and then
airlifted to Brisbane hospitals with the remaining two transported
to Amberley Medical Section for observation, where they were later
released.
Working together with civil authorities, a diverse Amberley contingent
provided support services in accident investigation photography,
counselling, catering, security, medical, communications, road
movements and logistics.
They helped evacuate the injured, provided perimeter security,
organised rations and shelter, maintained the integrity of the
site for the Accident Investigation Team and prepared the site
for an overnight security detail.
Base’s
swift response
An
F-111 obtained reconnaissance imagery of the crash site and a
Caribou was diverted to the scene to liaise with Amberley
Air Traffic Control over aircraft movements in and out of the
area, and to direct emergency response vehicles to the site.
Squadron Leader Iain White, Base Aviation Safety Officer, coordinated
activities at the crash site.
He remained overnight to initiate a handover to personnel from
the Directorate of Flying Safety the following day.
After the injured personnel had been evacuated and the crash site
secured, all civil and military response teams were released,
with the Air Force providing additional logistic support to the
Army and Flying Safety staff that remained at the scene.
Amberley Base Commander Wing Commander Mark Bartetzko commended
the outstanding efforts of all the personnel involved in the accident
response on their professionalism and teamwork under very stressful
circumstances.
“The Black Hawk accident activated a chain of events that you
plan and train for, but hope you never have to implement,” WGCDR
Bartetzko said.
“The response by Air Force personnel, in concert with both Army
and civil agencies, was extremely professional and executed in
a timely fashion.
I am very proud of our people as their actions not only brought
kudos to themselves, but I believe the reputation of the RAAF
within both the military and civil communities.”
Probe
into crash
By
CPL Damian Shovell
AN
AIRCRAFT Accident Investigation Team (AAIT) has been tasked to
determine the factors that contributed to the Black Hawk accident
at Amberley Training Range.
Wing Commander Peter Wood, Deputy Director of the Directorate
of Flying Safety ADF (DFS-ADF), said the AAIT comprised six Air
Safety Investigators (ASI) from DFS-ADF, an aviation psychologist
and aviation medical offi cer from 16 Brigade (Aviation) and two
scientists from DSTO.
“The AAIT is investigating the organisational, systemic and human
factors behind why this accident occurred, and will deliver safety
recommendations to try and prevent a recurrence,” WGCDR Wood said.
“It’s a triservice and civilian team headed by Major Rob Laurence,
the senior Army ASI at DFS-ADF.”
The team includes DFS-ADF Squadron Leader Terry Deeth, an Air
Force ASI with a fast-jet background, and engineering officer
Squadron Leader Geoff Kimmins, who is looking at the technical
air worthiness, maintenance and engineering aspects of the accident.
Working with the engineering officer is Flight Sergeant Dave Pejich
to control accident site OH&S, mapping and evidence documentation,
and Warrant Officer Glen Flavell to recover and record the flight
data recorders and cockpit voice recorders.
The Defence Science and Technology Organisation will examine pieces
of wreckage to determine why different parts may have failed.
“We also have two Lieutenant- Colonels from 16 Brigade Aviation;
one looking at aviation human factors and one looking at aviation
medicine,” WGCDR Wood said.
“The human factors member will examine any human factors that
may have influenced the accident developing, and the aviation
Medical Officer, qualified in aviation medicine, will look at
the physical and mental conditions of the soldiers involved; how
they sustained their injuries, what types of injuries they got
and what survivability lessons can we learn.
“The end product of the AAIT will be a formal report including
recommendations to the Appointing Authority, Brigadier Anthony
Fraser, Commander 16 Brigade Aviation, as to what systemic changes
and improvements we believe will prevent this from happening again
in the future.”
