USAF C17 Close Call with Terrain YBCS - No ATC Available
Without getting into a debate, I know that the Airforce take risk mitigation very seriously and certainly don’t take short cuts when it comes to safety.
Obviously certain operational tasks are assessed differently with regards to risk, e.g. peacetime activities in comparison to a conflict situation.
We won't get into a debate because there is no debate. It is exactly what you stated.
I said: "You know the RAAF flies low and close to terrain occasionally, right? Even when it's dark."
You said: "Totally incorrect in 2023, possibly was the norm years ago however it certainly doesn't happen today."
If what you meant to say that the norm in the RAAF years ago was to fly low and close to terrain in the dark, while taking short cuts on safety and not taking risk mitigation seriously, you'd be wrong on that, too.
I said: "You know the RAAF flies low and close to terrain occasionally, right? Even when it's dark."
You said: "Totally incorrect in 2023, possibly was the norm years ago however it certainly doesn't happen today."
If what you meant to say that the norm in the RAAF years ago was to fly low and close to terrain in the dark, while taking short cuts on safety and not taking risk mitigation seriously, you'd be wrong on that, too.
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Those reports have nothing to do with the airspace. However, the presence of ATC was clearly a factor in avoiding a more serious incident.
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I would lean to a poorly designed STAR that allowed a discontinuity where a critical altitude is inserted. Which then adds to the airspace procedure flaw input into the incidents.
We won't get into a debate because there is no debate. It is exactly what you stated.
I said: "You know the RAAF flies low and close to terrain occasionally, right? Even when it's dark."
You said: "Totally incorrect in 2023, possibly was the norm years ago however it certainly doesn't happen today."
If what you meant to say that the norm in the RAAF years ago was to fly low and close to terrain in the dark, while taking short cuts on safety and not taking risk mitigation seriously, you'd be wrong on that, too.
I said: "You know the RAAF flies low and close to terrain occasionally, right? Even when it's dark."
You said: "Totally incorrect in 2023, possibly was the norm years ago however it certainly doesn't happen today."
If what you meant to say that the norm in the RAAF years ago was to fly low and close to terrain in the dark, while taking short cuts on safety and not taking risk mitigation seriously, you'd be wrong on that, too.
Indeed. Sadly, there is no such thing as risk free flying activities, despite taking safety and risk mitigation seriously.

Dicussion of RAAF operations irrelevant.
This was a USAF C17 long range Transport flight to HNL, not a tactical mission.There is an image of the aircraft at 1500FT approx 1NM west of Mt Yarrabah.
All the other armchair commentary becomes immediately moot .
This was a USAF C17 long range Transport flight to HNL, not a tactical mission.There is an image of the aircraft at 1500FT approx 1NM west of Mt Yarrabah.
All the other armchair commentary becomes immediately moot .
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…says an armchair commentator.

There is an image doing the rounds, I assume it is some kind of radar screen grab, showing the aircraft at 1500FT at 270GS with a Controller alerted Below Minimum Safe Altitude Warning in the vicinity of Mt Yarrabah. As there was apparently no ATC service, one assumes the alert went unactioned?
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If that’s the case then they would’ve departed off R15 and made a very lazy left hand turn and come too close to the terrain there at 1500’ in an MSA sector of 6500’. Like I said before impossible to miss the multiple warnings on the basic DAP charts.
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But in a normal first world country there would be ATC guidance / alerts that would have prevented this from escalating.
Where was the controller?
You should be able to pull archived tapes from LiveATC if you know a date.
I recall seeing a C17 parked with a Omni 767 about 10 days ago.
I recall seeing a C17 parked with a Omni 767 about 10 days ago.