An aviation expert says authorities may have to keep a closer eye on the light commercial flying sector amid the latest crash on Jan. 7 that claimed the lives of three individuals.
The incident around Rottnest Island in Western Australia claimed the lives of the pilot, a Danish tourist, and Swiss tourist, while four survivors were rescued from the ocean.
Yet just three days before, two people died after their light plane crashed off Nambucca Heads in New South Wales.
But that wasn’t the only event.
In November last year, two brothers and their cousin died after crashing into a paddock in Victoria’s Gippsland region.
That crash came just a month after another, when two men died following a light plane crash in Brisbane.
Overall, 27 people died in 20 light aircraft crashes in 2024, while 12 fatal crashes claimed 32 lives in 2023.
Despite the loss of life, Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) says the number of General Aviation (GA) deaths has actually decreased over time.
Training and Experience a Factor: Professor
CQUniversity professor and Head of Aviation Doug Drury believes a better understanding of the human factors involved in light plane crashes could make a world of difference when it comes to safety.“Australia unfortunately does have more GA accidents than [regular public transport] and it is fast becoming a top priority task for CASA and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) to figure out why this is happening,” he told The Epoch Times.
“There are many factors that make up an accident/incident in aviation and they generally come together at some point during the flight—like links in a chain when the outcome can be positive or negative.”
Drury said training was one of the biggest challenges that must be looked at when it comes to light craft.
“A better understanding of the human factors element is needed during the flight training to provide low-time pilots with an understanding of what their capabilities are compared to the environment that they are flying in,” Drury said.
“This is the human-to-human, and human/machine interface.
“If we are operating as a crew—safety requires all to be aware of their surroundings.
“If we are operating single pilot—understanding the risks of attempting manoeuvres that are beyond their capabilities is important.”
Drury said aviation was a field that required strict diligence and training to ensure the wellbeing of hobby pilots and their passengers.
“Situation awareness and following standard operating procedures (SOPs) are paramount to safety in all commercial operations and general aviation recreational flying as well,” he said.
“Aviation is a rules-based endeavour, and it does not tolerate deviations well.”
Aviation Still Safe: CASA
Aviation remains one of the safest forms of transport, according to Australia’s peak body for civil aviation safety.While recent crashes generate publicity, CASA says fatal incidents have dropped over the past 10 years.
“There are less than four fatalities per year across large and small commercial air transport aircraft from over 600,000 flights, 2 million flight hours, and more than 60 million domestic passengers,” a CASA spokesperson told The Epoch Times.
“The number of fatal accidents involving private/recreational light (small) aircraft in 2024 was consistent with the long-term average and the number of fatalities in this category was below average.”
CASA said the organisation had a range of initiatives aimed at further reducing the crash rate through seminars, webinars, and a pilot education program.
The organisation said pilots could further improve the safety of their flights by planning ahead, being aware of weather conditions, ensuring their skills were up-to-date and keeping their aircraft appropriately maintained.
