Maybe the following article from the
Goulburn Post will help to give some semblance of balance to an uninformed, apparently skewed SMH contribution...
Trust the 'only mistake' in glider crash
By LOUISE THROWER
Oct. 6, 2014, 10:39 a.m.
THE widow of a pilot killed in a glider crash says she is devastated and appalled by a coronial inquest’s findings.
Dr Catherine Brassill was speaking after coroner Mary Jerram handed down her findings on Thursday into the death of Andrew Ahern.
The 50-year-old former Qantas 747 simulator instructor died at Carrick airfield on April 27, 2013. The Blanik glider in which he was taking off with instructor Lindsay Gamble was struck by a landing Nimbus craft. The Nimbus hit the Blanik’s tail, causing it to plummet 30 metres, killing Mr Ahern instantly.
Magistrate Jerram concluded on Friday that “this accident was the responsibility of all in general and of no one in particular.” The inquest heard conflicting evidence from Southern Tablelands Gliding Club members on roles and responsibilities of key operating personnel in decision making and ensuring safety for takeoffs and landings.
Dr Brassill says the finding is not good enough and she’s considering her legal options.
“The message has gone out that it’s okay, there is no one to blame,” she said.
“We all know that gliding is not the safest sport in the world but when you only have one glider in the air and one about to take off, that is not a normal danger.
“Andrew and his family had a reasonable expectation that they should not be launched into the path of an incoming glider.”
Instead she felt that the coroner was saying “bad luck.”
Having this response from a judicial hearing into a death she believed should never have occurred was devastating for her and her two daughters, Dr Brassill said.
She argued it was not an “accident,” as Magistrate Jerram had described but a crash that was highly avoidable.
“People just had to take proper care and it was clear from the evidence that it was not taken,” Dr Brassill said.
She was disappointed the Coroner did not explicitly absolve her husband of fault.
Counsel assisting the coroner Peter Aitken SC had earlier told the inquest there was no evidence Mr Ahern was to blame.
As a former Qantas instructor, she had no doubt her husband made a take off call as he had always done everything “utterly by the book.”
“His only mistake was putting his trust in others around him,” Dr Brassill said.
Mr Ahern’s elderly mother also attended Friday’s inquest findings at Glebe Coroners Court.
But the family was heartened by some of Magistrate Jerram’s recommendations.
She recommended that not only should an audit be undertaken of operating procedures at the Southern Tablelands Gliding Club by the Gliding Federation of Australia (GFA), but that the results be independently assessed.
The family had suggested the independent review, arguing that the GFA had previously missed aspects like the location of the launch site near a row of pine trees, which obscured views.
Importantly, the coroner recommended that GFA consider mandatory placement of dual band VHF radios in all gliders. The inquest had heard that some radio calls were not heard by operators due to inconsistent frequencies. The radio in the Nimbus had also been malfunctioning.
Dr Brassill welcomed this recommendation.
“Pilots have to be up there with as much as possible to keep them safe but if a radio is not working, there is no point having one at all,” she said.
“I believe there should be severe penalties for that.”
Other recommendations include: * That the GFA clearly define the roles of key operating personnel; * That the GFA and the club consider using a common VHF frequency at the airfield; * That the GFA consider the suitability of installing FLARM (an electronic device alerting aircraft of potential collision) in gliders; * That the club have a preference for performing landings and takeoffs on separate strips; and * That radio frequencies between gliders and to ground personnel be coordinated.
Dr Brassill said these suggestions were welcome but she was disappointed by Magistrate Jerram’s conclusion.
“A clear message hasn’t been sent that this is unacceptable,” she told the Post.
“It is not a level playing field.
If you have caused the death of someone in the air through what you have done, or failed to do, then you should be held just as accountable as though it were a road accident.
“…We put our faith in the justice system and it has let us down. There has been no justice for Andrew.”
Club commits to safety
THE Southern Tablelands Gliding Club (STGC) accepts the findings of a coronial inquest into Andrew Ahern’s death.
President John Wilkinson said coroner Mary Jerram’s determination spoke for itself. He has committed to implementing safety improvements and told the Post that some were already underway.
“The STGC from the very earliest stages has worked with the family to understand, learn and improve safety for everyone,” Mr Wilkinson said.
“This inquest gives very firm direction to us, the Gliding Federation of Australia and the family. I will support the family until the cows come home. From day one we have walked arm in arm with them and have been open, honest and frank. We have walked this journey together.”
He said the club had understood for some time the need for clarity around personnel roles and responsibilities. The inquest had been a firm reminder of its importance and provided direction.
Similarly, landings and takeoffs would be separated.
Mr Wilkinson said separate strips had always been available. On the day of the accident, club members decided to use a single strip because another had not been mown.
“There may be circumstances in the future where we use one runway but procedures are in place to deal with it quite safely,” he said.
The inquest heard from the GFA that single strip gliding operations were not uncommon and could work safely.
Mr Wilkinson also described the coroner’s recommendation for VHF radios in all gliders as a “very positive step.”
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which regulates gliding, will ultimately decide its implementation.
The club has already conducted trials on coordinating radio frequencies to Goulburn CTAF, which the coroner recommended. This frequency alerts glider pilots to general aviation around the Goulburn area.
“We are in a busy aviation environment not far from Goulburn airport and we’ve been aware of that from day one,” Mr Wilkinson said.
He described the recommendation for an audit as “absolutely logical”. The club was keen to ensure it had addressed all issues. The GFA undertook an audit after the accident.
“We have been a willing participant in this whole process and nothing will divert us from achieving the best outcome from tragic circumstances for the family,” Mr Wilkinson said.
“Our ultimate aim is to improve safety for all glider pilots and ensure it never happens again.”
Asked whether he agreed with Magistrate Jerram’s statement that the crash was “the responsibility of all in general and no one in particular,” Mr Wilkinson said he would let it speak for itself.
“I can’t second guess the coroner,” he said.