Risk of repeat in search delays

Satellite tracking system still unused

Lengthy delays in finding a crashed helicopter risk being repeated because of a lack of leadership by aviation regulators, experts say.

The scathing comments by the New Zealand developers of a satellite-based aircraft tracking system come at a coroner's inquest into the deaths of millionaire liquor baron Michael Erceg and Dutch beer company executive Guustaaf Klatte.

Mr Erceg, 49, one of New Zealand's richest men, and his passenger Mr Klatte died in a Waikato helicopter crash on November 4, 2005.

Mr Erceg was flying from Ardmore to Queenstown when he crashed on the lower slopes of Mt Karioi near Raglan.

The loss of a signal from the emergency locator transmitter (ELT) in Mr Erceg's helicopter led to one of the largest and most expensive searches in New Zealand aviation history including an extensive air search over Taranaki.

The Eurocopter wreckage remained undiscovered for 15 days in a small stand of native bush because the external antenna on its locator beacon had broken off and could not transmit a signal that could be picked up. The subsequent search for the downed helicopter covered 16,000 square kilometres and included an unofficial search by the Erceg family.

Searchers were directed to the crash scene after helicopter pilot Darryl Sherwin discovered an error in the radar system that tracked Mr Erceg's flight.

Civil Aviation Authority safety investigator Thomas McCready told the inquest Mr Erceg was flying under visual flight rules and may have flown into clouds. Once enveloped by clouds, he may have lost all visual cues and become disoriented.

He said the helicopter's distress beacon was correctly installed and did transmit a signal in excess of 3000 times.

John Lanham, employed by the CAA as the general manager of the General Aviation Group, also gave evidence. He said Mr Erceg's helicopter was not fitted with a tracking device which, at the time, were considered uncommon.

He said Flight Tracking Devices (FTD) were "emerging technology" but had the potential to complement ELTs.

The CAA supported the development of tracking devices which may become the primary way of locating aircraft in the future.

However, there were still deficiencies in FTD technology, Mr Lanham said, and technical standards had yet to be devised.

Speaking at the inquest, general manager of aircraft tracking company Spidertracks Ltd Rachel Donald said the CAA's "wait-and-see approach" to regulating tracking technology had stalled its use.

Hamilton coroner Gordon Matenga said the CAA appeared to be "dragging the chain" in its attitude to tracking devices which had the potential to be of great use to aircraft users.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to be a world leader," Mr Matenga told Mr Lanham.

Speaking afterward, Spidertracks director Bruce Bartley said the CAA's failure to embrace tracking technology meant unnecessary delays in finding missing aircraft could be repeated. "We believe it is morally irresponsible of the CAA not to legislate in support of aircraft tracking."

Sergeant Phillip Bell, police search and rescue operation supervisor, said lessons had been learnt from the search operation.

"One of the significant learnings would be that the radar plot needed to be obtained at an earlier stage and a test flight of that radar track be made and comparison made of the two tracks at an earlier stage," Mr Bell said.

"Another key learning point from it was that ground and air searches were run from separate locations and there should have been a common control or operations room for the two searches so they worked concurrently."

Mr Matenga reserved his decision.

- © Fairfax NZ News