Session 10. Underwater Search and Recovery of Flight Recorders and Wreckage SEMINAR ON ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION AUGUST 2011

Transcription

1 Session 10 Underwater Search and Recovery of Flight Recorders and Wreckage SEMINAR ON ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION AUGUST

2 Outline Introduction Singapore s experience in sea accident investigation preparation AAIB Task Force AAIB s Sea Search Deployment Plan Coordination Resources Sea Search Exercise Recent ICAO Annex amendment proposal

3 Introduction 3

4 Recent Sea Crashes/Ditching Flash Airlines B737 Flight 604, 3 Jan 04 Tuninter ATR 72 Flight 1153, 6 Aug 05 Armavia A320 Flight 967, 4 May 06 Adam Air B737 Flight 574, 1 Jan 07 Air Moorea DHC-6 Flight 1121, 9 Aug 07 XL Airways A320 test flight, 27 Nov 08 US Airways A320 Flight 1549, 15 Jan 09 Air France A330 Flight 447, 1 Jun 09 Yemenia Airlines A310 Flight 626, 30 Jun 09 4

5 Recent Sea Crashes/Ditching (cont d) Ethiopian Airlines B737 Flight 409, 25 Jan 10 Merpati Airlines MA60 Flight 8968, 7 May11 Asiana Air B F, 28 Jul 11 Lion Air B , 13 Apr 13 Malaysia Airlines B , 8 Mar 14 An average of more than one sea crash/ditching per year 5

6 Underwater Locator Beacon (ULB) Attached to the front face of the flight recorder with strong mounting Emits 37.5 KHz acoustic signal when immersed in water Ideal condition, transmit signal up to 20,000 ft Dimensions Length: 3.92 in. (9.95 cm) Diameter: 1.3 in. (3.3 cm) Weight: 6.7 oz. (190 g) maximum

7 Limitations of ULB signal Factors affecting the strength of ULB signal: Depth of water (propagation of signal through water) Battery life, last for 30 days Shielding (covered by aircraft wreckage or sand/mud of seabed) Echo (Terrain of the sea)

8 Singapore s experience in sea accident investigation preparation 8

9 Destinations of Singapore Carriers

10 Take-off or landing routes around Changi Airport

11 Changi Airport Emergency Services

12 Air France Flight 447 Are we able to direct and manage a search and recovery operation for an aircraft that has crashed into a deep ocean far away from Singapore? Do we have enough investigators to be deployed in the high seas for a search and recovery operation? Are our investigators able to survive working in high seas for an extended period? Will we be able to muster the necessary manpower and equipment resources to conduct a sea search and recovery operation?

13 Earlier sea accident investigation experience

14 Convair CV-240 on 17 Sep 75 Aircraft ditched into the Johor Straits or Kallang River Extensive corrosion over the whole aircraft wreckage Lessons learnt: Importance of recovering the aircraft wreckage as quickly as possible, in order to minimise corrosion on aircraft parts and reduce evidence loss

15 SilkAir MI185 on 19 Dec 97 (1/3) Indonesia NTSC led the investigation Strong tidal currents and murky waters made the search challenging Wreckages were small and they settled and got buried in the mud at the bottom of the river Visibility underwater was so poor that divers searching for bodies or aircraft parts practically had to do so by touch Musi River crash site

16 SilkAir MI185 on 19 Dec 97 (2/3) Singapore deployed the following resources: 2 naval vessels 1 Fokker 50 1 Hercules C130 2 Super Puma helicopters Over 90 divers from Singapore Navy took part

17 SilkAir MI185 on 19 Dec 97 (3/3) Lesson Learnt: Importance of inter-agency coordination and cooperation Importance of having adequate sources of fund to support such operation

18 AAIB sea search capability enhancement AAIB contacted or visited the following investigation agencies: Canada France Taiwan The United Kingdom The United States AAIB meet salvage companies to understand their investigation capabilities

19 Adam Air B737 on 1 Jan 07 (1/3) AAIB investigators were invited by NTSC to help search for the Adam Air B737 that had gone missing over Makassar Strait A total of 6 missions were conducted at multiple locations Baruna Jaya IV Discussion on search location

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21 Search Areas

22 Adam Air B737 on 1 Jan 07 (2/3) Listening for the pinger signal (37.5 KHz) was challenging: Exercise was daunting and time consuming due to sea conditions, noise environment, etc. Sea sickness - make it hard for the investigators to concentrate on the task Difficult to control the rubber dingy when currents are strong affect the accuracy of the location and bearing of the signals which might be recorded

23 Adam Air B737 on 1 Jan 07 (3/3) Lessons Learnt: The need to have appropriate communciation equipment for use in remote areas Honing of ULB detection skills

24 AAIB Task Force on Planning for Underwater Search and Recovery of Recorders Set up in July 2009

25 Mission of the Task Force Develop and enhance AAIB s sea search operational capabilities Review the way the AAIB would tackle sea search endeavour in these aspects: Coordination Resources Available Training

26 Identified Approaches To draw up a deployment plan that can readily be modified to suit the circumstances To strengthen coordination with relevant domestic agencies and organisations to enhance cooperation in the use of their resources and personnel in times of need To acquire all the necessary sea charts To acquire the necessary search equipment (e.g. ULB detector, GPS, compass, triangulation software) and train investigators in their use To enhance the proficiency of Airport Emergency Service s divers in the use of ULB detectors To take part in realistic sea search exercises

27 Sea Search Deployment Plan Search and Recovery Team (SRT) Investigation Support Team (IST)

28 Search and Recovery Team (SRT) Sea search team responsible for: Plan and conduct search pattern, review search results and revise search area with either ROV or divers Surveillance, mapping and appraisal of underwater wreckage site Recovery of wreckage from water with support from commercial salvage companies Evaluate search operations and to recommend to IIC when the search effort should be stopped

29 Investigation Support Team Logistics support to SRT (IST) Operations command centre to provide: Coordination with other agencies (including the agencies of the SAR State) Coordination on victim identification and examinations NOK and media handling Wreckage storage, identification and reconstruction Conduct of initial investigation and fact finding Regular briefing on updates

30 Coordination

31 Coordination with relevant domestic agencies & organisations Singapore CAA / SAR Coordinator Maritime Port Authority Military/ Police Salvage companies Tentage Companies

32 Mobilisation Exercises To validate the coordination plans that have been devised Two to three exercises are held every year, one of which would correspond to a sea crash scenario participants from various agencies

33 Resources

34 Identified Sea Regions North Atlantic Ocean Arabian Ocean Bay of Bengal Indian Ocean North Pacific Ocean East China South Sea China Sea Singapore Tasman Ocean

35 Flight Information Regions (FIR) Charts

36 Hydrographic Charts

37 Database AAIB set up a data system that can provide at least some preliminary information Search and Rescue Authorities State s Investigation Agency Singapore Overseas Mission Salvage Companies Assets Distribution

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40 Acquisition of search equipment Basic equipment needed for search operation, as part of its effort to enhance its investigation capability

41 Training AAIB investigators in the use of ULB detectors

42 Training of divers in the use of ULB detectors

43 Sea Search Exercise

44 Importance of Sea Search Exercise Need to gain practical experience in the mobilisation and organisation of a sea search operation To appreciate the tasks involved in sea search operation Enable AAIB s investigators to learn more about sea search and recovery of wreckage To tap others expertise and experience

45 Underwater GPS System 45

46 Cost Involved Search and Rescue costs (approx) : 80 million AF447 Investigation Underwater search budget (approx) : Cost 23 million (BEA / Airbus / Air France)

47 AAIB Workshop on Sea Search of Flight Recorders, July 2011 Attended by 50 participants from 11 Administrations Day one was sharing of past sea search experiences Day two was a practical session in search of flight recorders using handheld ULB detectors Demonstration by Advanced Concepts and Systems Architecture (ACSA) on the use of underwater GPS system 47

48 Lesson Learnt from Exercises Work out an initial plan beforehand, and have a checklist to aid in planning a sea search To plan for contingency funding and be prepared for a lengthy sea operation Training of investigators on the use of ULB detector in different waters The need to secure ULB detector Awareness of motion sickness Be informed of latest technology

49 Improvement on Flight Recorders 49

50 AF447 BEA s Recommendations Larnaka, Cyprus, Oct 10 Extend to 90 days the transmission time for ULB installed on flight recorders on aircraft performing public transport flights over maritime areas Make it mandatory for aircraft to be equipped with an additional ULB capable of transmitting on a frequency (between 8.5 khz and 9.5 khz) and for duration adapted to the localisation of wreckage Study the possibility of making it mandatory for aircraft to regularly transmit basic flight parameters like position, altitude, speed, heading, etc.

51 Proposed amendment to Annex 6 ICAO is proposing the following: At the earliest practical date but not later than 1 Jan 18, ULBs operating at 37.5 khz shall operate for a minimum of 90 days. All aeroplanes of maximum take-off mass over 27,000 kg shall have a ULB operating at 8.8 khz and the ULB shall operate for a minimum of 30 days. On or after 1 Jan 18, all aeroplanes of maximum take-off mass over 27,000 kg shall have an alternate power source to engage and provide 10 minutes (±1min) of operation whenever aeroplane power to recorder ceases (CVR to be located as close as possible to alternate power source).

52 Conclusion

53 Moving forward Intra-agency coordination and cooperation framework within Singapore. Continue to learn from other air accident investigation agencies that have vast experience in underwater search and recovery of aircraft wreckage and flight recorders experience. More regional cooperation and interaction in sea search planning and operation. Possible joint organisation of sea search exercises for flight recorders.

54 - End - Session 10 Underwater Search and Recovery of Flight Recorders and Wreckage SEMINAR ON ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION AUGUST