Final Report (Reopened) WW24 (VH-NGA), ditching vicinity Norfolk Island South Pacific, 18 Nov 2009

Final Report (Reopened) WW24 (VH-NGA), ditching vicinity Norfolk Island South Pacific, 18 Nov 2009

Publication info
Author
ATSB (Australia)
Category
Controlled Flight Into Terrain Human Factors Loss of Control Weather
Date of publication
23/11/2017

On 18 November 2009, an IAI Westwind on a medevac mission failed to make a planned night landing at Norfolk Island in unanticipated adverse weather and was intentionally ditched offshore because of insufficient fuel to reach the nearest alternate. The fuselage broke in two on water contact but all six occupants escaped from the rapidly sinking wreckage and were eventually rescued. The Investigation initially completed in 2012 was reopened after concerns about its conduct and a new Final Report in 2017 confirmed that the direct cause was flawed crew decision-making but also highlighted ineffective regulatory oversight and inadequate Operator procedures.

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