The pilot shut down the right engine and made a mayday call.
Shortly after, the left engine lost power and the pilot conducted a forced landing without engine power on the Great Northern Highway
The aircraft was refuelled and flown without incident to Broome Airport. The aircraft
was then examined by licenced aircraft maintenance engineers with the involvement of the ATSB and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
51A Reporting of defects in Australian aircraft: major defects
(1)This regulation applies to major defects:
(a) that have caused,
or that could cause, a primary structural failure in an aircraft; or
(b) that have caused, or that could cause, a control system failure in an aircraft; or
(c)
that have caused, or that could cause, an engine structural failure in an aircraft; or
(d) caused by, that have caused, or that could cause, fire in an aircraft.
(2)If a person connected with the operation of, or the carrying out of maintenance on, an Australian aircraft discovers a defect in the aircraft, being a defect of a kind to which this regulation applies, the person must report the defect to CASA immediately.
Penalty: 50 penalty units.
52A How must reports to Authority be made?
Examples of Major Defects
Listed below are some representative examples of major defects. The list is not exhaustive. If you have any doubt about whether a defect is a major defect, you can seek advice from the CASA SDR Unit by email [email protected] or phone 131 757:
(a) fires during flight, whether or not the related fire warning system operated correctly;
(b) false fire warning during flight;
(c) smoke, toxic or noxious fumes inside the aircraft;
(d) an engine exhaust system that causes damage during flight to the engine, adjacent structure, equipment or components;
(e) unscheduled engine shut-down;
**
So as per the ADSB report.
The aircraft was refuelled, flown then inspected by a LAME.
How did the major defect get cleared for the flight?
Either it was not written up or a pilot flew the aircraft out with a open entry on the MR. This would be a sack able offence.
Under no circumstances would CASA issue a Flight Permit without a LAME putting his name on the line that the aircraft is safe to fly. Remember it was 4:20 pm on a Friday and I doubt the pilots first call was to the CAsA office.