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Post Courier Fri 12th
"Air crash commission set up
AN independent body has been set up to probe aircraft accidents and crashes and recommend improvements on air safety.
Transport Civil Aviation and Works Minister Don Polye announced yesterday the establishment of the body as the Accident Investigation Commission (AIC).
He said the commission would investigate aircraft accidents and make recommendations to improve air safety.
The commission has been established in compliance with the Civil Aviation Act 2000 and International Civil Aviation Convention Annex (13) which obligates ICAO member states to have an impartial and totally independent body to investigate aircraft accidents and incidents.
According to the yearly aircraft accident statistics provided by investigators from the Department of Transport, a total of 44 aircraft accidents occurred since the year 2000.
Mr Polye said there were 16 pending aircraft accidents that the commission would need to look into, starting in the first quarter of next year. The three-man commission is made up of chairman Paulus Dowa, Minson Peni, one of PNG’s pioneer pilots, who is deputy chairman and Nahau Rooney, a former minister of Civil Aviation.
“I have every confidence in their appointments and undertake to work closely with them to ensure that the AIC performs its management roles to the fullest extent,” Mr Polye said.
The commission will have a budget of K4.16 million set aside in the 2009 budget.
Mr Polye said the AIC should be fully operational by the first quarter of next year.
An interim chief executive officer for the commission will also be decided soon.
“The appointment is necessary to progress the transition of the current investigation unit currently under the Department of Transport into the commission.
“When the AIC is fully operational the commissioners will deal with all outstanding air accident reports and recommend their release through my office,” Mr Polye said."