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Safety Data & Investigation Insights – �Gliding Part 149 ASAO View

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Gliding in Australia

VH registered, certificated gliders, CASA approved standards, with delegations

Club based culture, national regional and club officers, high reliance club level controls oversight

High volunteer dependence, few salaried positions, limited LOE and resources

An exhilarating sport.

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Data Points – AUS v GER

GER

> 20K members

> 1000 clubs groups

> 7000+ gliders

> 20+ manufacturers

AUS

2304 members

~56 clubs groups

~ 750 airworthy VH gliders

1258 VH registered

0 manufacturers

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AUS $ 1 = EURO € 0.61

EURO € 1 = AUS $ 1.63

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“The Risk of Dying Doing What We Love” 1�From Chess in the Air

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“The Risk of Dying Doing What We Love” 2

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“The Risk of Dying Doing What We Love” 3

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“The Risk of Dying Doing What We Love” 4�From Chess in the Air

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The Risk of Dying Doing What We Love

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AW data & Gliding Fatal Accident Rates

Nobody, ever, prepares to launch a towplane or glider,

perform maintenance on a tug or glider,

or work in an aerodrome environment,

with the intention of coming to harm.

From 2013 to 2022:

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560,085 glider hrs

504,646 landings

773,453 pilot hrs

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582 reported accidents

7 fatalities

80,012 glider hrs

72,087 landings

110,493 pilot hrs

per fatality

0.12%

99.88%

Note: Less reliable data re actual pilot hours, currency, proficiency

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Timeline 1969-2026

Sporadic data

DCA & Dept of Transport then CAA 1988

Manual Paper Records

1995 CASA 1999 ATSB Formed

1969-1999

Bushfire Loss Historical Paper Records

2011-2012 Prototype GFA IRIS system

2013 GFA SOAR SDR

2000-2013

SOAR Evolving

GFA GAus Investigations Capabilities

2024 GFA Part 149 ASAO

2026 GFA becomes GAus

2013-2026

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AGGREGATE DATA 1969-2026

  • 57 Fatal Accidents�53 involving gliders�4 involving towplanes�4 involving other aircraft
  • 74 Fatal Injuries�60 in gliders�6 in towplanes�6 in other aircraft
  • 5yr Ave Fatalities 1.2 pa gliders�5yr Ave Fatalities 1.8 all aircraft

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STALL SPIN

MAC MID AIR COLLISION

TOWPLANE OR POWER PLANE

SLG TMG

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SOAR REPORTS BY YEAR

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Occurrence Data Proportions Top 5

CATEGORY

NO

PERCENT

AIRCRAFT CONTROL LOC SS HARD LANDINGS

409

21.2%

AIRCRAFT SEPARATION MAC NEAR MISS

243

12.6%

RUNWAY EVENTS INCURSIONS EXCURSIONS

225

11.7%

AIRFRAME EVENTS CANOPIES LANDING GEAR

191

9.9%

TERRAIN COLLISION OBSTACLE STRIKES

140

7.3%

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SOAR REPORTS BY OCCURRENCE CATEGORY

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Important Stuff is Missing

What happened to the aircraft / gliders

What happened to the pilot and crew

Accident facts, what went wrong

Taxonomy - Useful Stuff is Assessed

Some aspects of Why things went wrong

Organisational Factors

Human factors

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Benalla VIC – SS LOC TC Nimbus Outlanding

  • Low level thermalling
  • Goal fixation get home
  • Late outlanding decision
  • Swap hands operate undercarriage
  • Low level Stall Spin Loss of Control

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Mount Beauty VIC – LOC TC �Grob G109B Touring Motor Glider

  • Changed plans scattering ashes
  • Possible social pressures
  • In-cockpit interference or distractions
  • Loss of Control

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Darling Downs QLD – LOC TC AS33Mi

  • First evaluation flight (aerotow)
  • AW CoA Administration & Inspections
  • Flight profile LOC – New modelling & reconstruction analysis techniques
  • Emergency response safety issues - batteries

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Human Factors & Post-Accident Analysis

  • Post-accident discovery & analysis
  • Contributions to chains of causation
  • Contributions to chains of response actions
  • Modify data collation systems

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EASA & EGU Priorities

  • EASA
    • Aircraft Upset / LOC
    • Airborne Collision / MAC
    • Obstacle Collision in Flight�
  • EGU
    • Abnormal Runway Contact
    • Loss of Control in Flight
    • Collision with Obstacles Takeoff & Landing
    • + Extra Attention Rigging & Winch Launches

Note: EASA EGU and UK CAA BGA Different Taxonomies to Australia

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Priorities & Enablers

  • Aircraft Control / LOC
  • Mid Air Collision / MAC
  • Runway Events Incursions Excursions
  • Airframe Events
  • Terrain Collisions
  • Safer mixed operations
  • Improved situational awareness
  • Positive Safety II observations data
  • Positive safety capabilities
  • Positive volunteer management

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Other Areas GAus Greater Safety Focus

  • Powerplant - Touring Motor Gliders Self Launching & Powered Sailplanes
  • New technology risks e.g. Batteries, Ballistic Recovery Systems
  • Training induced risks
  • Ground Handling & Taxiing

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Other Areas GAus Greater Safety Focus

  • Human Factors – SA, Distractions, Digital Hypnotism
  • IFDDs In Flight Distraction Devices
  • HF & AW – Maintenance Induced Defects, Pilot Maintenance Risks
  • Aerodrome encroachment risks
  • Safety Observations �(Positive Reporting) Safety II

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Safety Data & Investigation Insights – �Gliding Part 149 ASAO View�Drew McKinnie – GAus Safety Manager