Fatal crash pilot should not have flown: coroner
ABC news online:
Posted: Tue, 17 Dec 2002 19:15 AEDT
Fatal crash pilot should not have flown: coroner
The Western Australian Coroner has found a plane crash that killed four police at Newman in the Pilbara was avoidable.
Alistair Hope handed down his findings today after hearing more than two weeks of evidence about the crash, which happened on Australia Day last year.
He found the police service's decision to post to Karratha the pilot of the plane, Senior Constable Donald Everett, was a major contributing factor.
Mr Hope says Senior Constable Everett was not qualified to fly twin-engined planes at night and should not have been made a sole pilot in a remote region like the Pilbara.
He recommended the Police Air Support Unit look outside the service for experienced pilots.