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Defence Aviation Safety Investigations�Non-Technical Skills

SAFESKIES CONFERENCE 2026

Group Captain David Smith, CSM

Director Defence Flight Safety Bureau

UNOFFICIAL

UNOFFICIAL

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Scope

  • Why are Non-Technical Skills (NTS) so important in the context of Defence Aviation operations?

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  • Analysis of contributory factors related to NTS from Defence Aviation safety investigations:
    • C-130J Near Collision with Terrain
    • Blackhawk Rotor Strike
    • Super Hornet Double Ejection

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  • What can Defence and Civil Aviation organisations learn and apply at an organisational level to disrupt a potential accident sequence of events?

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NTS in Defence Aviation Operations

  • Communication
  • Situation Awareness
    • Perception / Comprehension / Projection
    • Individual / Team / Shared / Distributed
  • Decision making
  • Teamwork
  • Workload management and task prioritisation
  • Fatigue management
  • DFSB independent accident investigations highlight that NTS knowledge and integrating skills-based NTS training and assessment is fundamental to improving human performance in complex and abnormal scenarios…

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C-130J Near Collision with Terrain

  • Australia Day 2019: C-130J Hercules flew significantly below authorised flying display height over Sydney Harbour
  • Weather deteriorated below minimum briefed and rehearsed
  • Pressure on Aircraft Captain to complete the display resulted in an un-briefed and modified nose-low manoeuvre
  • Co-Pilot had limited involvement in the Display Pilot’s workup (not formally endorsed as a Display Co-Pilot)
  • Co-Pilot and Loadmaster had limited situation awareness to question the Display Pilot’s decision-making, communicate concerns or intervene.

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Army Blackhawk Rotor Strike

  • Feb 2021: Main rotors of Army UH-60 Blackhawk struck mast of ship during operational training in Sydney Harbour
  • Planned normal sequence of workup missions, assignment of crews and reconnaissance missions were disrupted
  • Crew lost situation awareness of the ship’s mast
  • Large variations in crew mental models, situation awareness and decision-making after first rotor tip strike:
    • Pilots - move helicopter away
    • Aircrewmen - move back to the rappelling position
    • Rotors struck the mast a second time…

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F/A-18F Runway Excursion & Ejection

  • Dec 2020: Crew of F/A-18F Super Hornet ejected after aircraft left runway during take-off roll
  • Time pressure to launch a multi-aircraft formation
  • Distractions prior to line-up caused by minor aircraft system degrades
  • Pilot and Weapon System Officer (WSO) used non-standard comms for ‘challenge and response’ checklist actions
  • Developed different mental models in response to ‘CHECK TRIM’ caution on selection of full after-burner
  • WSO executed ‘BOLD FACE’ checklist for departing the runway in an uncontrolled condition = ‘EJECT’.

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Defence Aviation NTS Framework

  • Defence Aviation Safety Regulation – NTS
  • Aviation Non-Technical Skills Guidebooks
    • Fundamentals for Aviation Professionals
    • Essentials for Trainers
  • Initial and continuation training and assessment of NTS knowledge
  • Integration of skills-based NTS training and assessment into Flying Management Systems
  • Simulation to build resilience for abnormal and complex scenarios
  • Formal records of training, assessment and currency in NTS.

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Defence Aviation Investigations�Non-Technical Skills

SAFESKIES CONFERENCE 2026

Group Captain David Smith, CSM

Director Defence Flight Safety Bureau

UNOFFICIAL

UNOFFICIAL