The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched a transport safety investigation into a collision with terrain accident involving a Robinson R22 helicopter just outside Bankstown Airport, in Sydney’s south-west, on Friday.
The piston engine helicopter had been conducting a training flight with an instructor and student pilot on board when it collided with terrain and was destroyed.
The ATSB is deploying a team of transport safety investigators from its Canberra office, specializing in operations, engineering and maintenance.
Planned activities include site and wreckage examination, mapping of the site, and recovery of any helicopter components for further examination at the ATSB’s technical facilities in Canberra.
Investigators are also collecting relevant recorded information including any flight tracking data, weather information, and pilot and helicopter maintenance records.
The ATSB asks anyone with video footage of the helicopter at any phase of the flight, or in the immediate aftermath of the accident, to make contact via the witness form on this website: atsb.gov.au/witness at their earliest opportunity.
This press release was prepared and distributed by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
