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CASA has called on the industry, particularly in the Northern Territory, to report wrongdoing in the helicopter sector following the high-profile trial of Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright.
In an industry briefing column, chief executive Pip Spence said it would be “remiss of [her] not to reiterate the need for everyone to play a role in keeping aviation safe” following events over recent months that “led to a focus on helicopters in the Northern Territory”.
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It comes after Wright was found guilty in August on two charges relating to the 2022 crash that killed Chris “Willow” Wilson in the Top End.
“Trust is a crucial component in the compact between aviation operators and their customers, and it can be quickly undermined by the irresponsible actions of a few,” wrote Spence.
“Our surveillance tells us most people obey the rules, but based on the public commentary, there may well be a minority of people attempting to game the system.
“Let me be clear, we have zero tolerance for serious, wilful or repeated disregard of the aviation rules and any interference with aircraft that affects safety.
“We can’t be everywhere and see everything, so we need credible reports from industry that alert us to people doing the wrong thing.
“We understand people may be nervous about doing this, but you can report anonymously or file a confidential report, where you identify yourself but don’t want us to disclose your identity, either through our safety report mechanism or to the ATSB.”
In a statement to the media, CASA said around 45,000 people had received the email briefing.
“We have a planned surveillance schedule which includes checks by Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) inspectors across Northern Australia. This also includes unannounced surveillance activities,” a spokesperson said.
“We do not comment on individual findings but our surveillance has not identified any systemic disregard of safety regulations.
“We undertook an analysis of fatal aerial work and agricultural helicopter accidents over a decade which showed no increase in the accident rate and did not flag maintenance as an issue.”
The incident took place in 2022 in remote West Arnhem Land and killed Wilson and seriously injured pilot Sebastian Robinson. Wilson was suspended underneath the Robinson R44 helicopter on a 30-metre sling during a crocodile egg-collecting mission.
The ATSB said in its report that during the autorotation emergency forced landing procedure that followed, the pilot, Robinson, released the hooks and sling line carrying Wilson “above a height that would likely be survivable”.
The helicopter subsequently hit the ground without enough energy from the main rotor to cushion the landing, causing Robinson severe spinal injuries.
