didn't a SQ 747 do something similar in the early 90s
Hadn't heard of that one- before I arrived Cairns.
Out of interest were the crew oblivious to their impending doom? 5th Sep 2016 14:24
That is correct. Captain visited Approach later that day and said they didn't realise terrain like that was so close to departure path. They were at MTOW.
When QF had an Ops section in Cairns they used to provide briefings to US Military pilots operating out of Cairns. After this incident we asked them to specifically brief them on the importance of the SIDs left turn. Don't know who briefs them these days.