Contact lost with air tanker
 

There are news reports contact has been lost with one of the large air tankers fighting bushfires in the Snowy-Monaro this afternoon. Helicopters are said to be searching.

My prayers with the crew and all other involved that this is not real.

I do see one of the P-8 Poseidons circling just east of Cooma and Bredbo, though, not sure if that is related.

C130: RAAF A47-005 P-8A Poseidon as "BLACKCAT 50" currently searching for a missing C-130 Large Air Tanker in the Snowy Mountains region of NSW, Australia. NSW RFS confirmed that a C-130 is currently missing and a SAR operation is taking place.

Source Twitter (@scanSydney)

Track log is not good
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/...15ZZ/YSRI/YSRI

Unfortunately, the worst outcome has been confirmed. :(

Three dead after Large Air Tanker crashes while fighting bushfires in southern NSW

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-...hfire/11893554

N134CG, Bomber 134, C-130Q

From the Premier

Out of respect for the three US firefighters who lost their lives operating a Large Air Tanker, flags will fly at half mast in NSW tomorrow.

ATSB Prelim Report

https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/news-i...nker-accident/

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has released the preliminary report from its ongoing investigation into the collision with terrain of a Lockheed C-130 large air tanker during aerial firefighting operations north-east of Cooma, NSW on 23 January 2020, in which three aircrew were fatally injured.

The preliminary report details basic factual information established in the investigation’s early evidence collection phase, including the accident’s sequence of events, wreckage and impact information, and weather details. The preliminary report also confirms that ATSB data recovery analysts were able to successfully download the C-130’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR).

“Although the recorder assembly was damaged in the accident, ATSB investigators were able to successfully recover all the data from the CVR’s crash protected memory module,” said ATSB Chief Commissioner Greg Hood.

“However, unfortunately the CVR had not recorded any audio from the accident flight. Instead, all recovered audio was from a previous flight when the aircraft was operating in the United States.”

The aircraft had been in Australia since November 2019, and why the CVR did not record the accident flight will be considered as part of the ongoing investigation.

“Audio from cockpit voice recorders often play an important role in aircraft accident investigations, however, our investigators do have a range of other evidence, including witness videos, at their disposal in building a comprehensive understanding of the accident sequence,” Chief Commissioner Hood said.

As the investigation continues, the ATSB will complete its teardown and inspection of the aircraft’s engines and propellers; review the aircraft’s maintenance history, and performance and handling characteristics; analyse witness reports; and develop a more comprehensive understanding of the accident impact sequence with the use of 3D drone mapping and video analysis of witness videos.

“The ATSB’s on-site examination of the wreckage, damage to the surrounding vegetation, and ground markings indicated that the aircraft initially impacted a tree in a left wing down attitude, before colliding with the ground,” Mr Hood said.

The investigation will also consider environmental influences; the crew’s qualifications, experience and medical information; the nature of aerial fire-fighting operations; and operating policies and procedures.

“ATSB preliminary reports do not contain findings, identify contributing factors or outline safety issues and actions, which will be detailed in an investigation’s final and any interim reports,” Mr Hood said.


“An investigation of this nature and complexity may take more than 18 months to complete.

“However, should any safety critical information be discovered at any time during the investigation, we will immediately notify operators and regulators, and make that publicly known.”

Mr Hood again extended his sympathies to those affected by this accident.

“On behalf of the ATSB, I convey our sympathies to the families and friends of the three aircrew who lost their lives in this accident in the service of others,” Mr Hood said.

“The ATSB would also like to acknowledge the support of the NSW Police Force, the NSW Rural Fire Service, NSW Fire and Rescue, the Australian Defence Force in facilitating safe access to an active fire ground and supporting our on-site investigation team. We also acknowledge and thank the warm-hearted support of the communities of Peak View and Cooma during the ATSB’s extensive on-site deployment.”

Read the preliminary report AO-2020-007: Collision with terrain involving Lockheed EC130Q, N134CG, 50 km north-east of Cooma-Snowy Mountains Airport (near Peak View), NSW, on 23 January 2020

Link
https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/news-i...nker-accident/

Final report from the ATSB
https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications...r/ao-2020-007/
https://fireaviation.com/2022/08/29/...ikely-stalled/