Total number of aircraft of any and all types involved in an incident/accident where the ELT has failed to 'emit an emergency locating signal as intended'

ZGO made this Official Information request to Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand

The request was successful.

From: ZGO

Dear Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand,

In part of an email answer to my OIA of 22 November 2021 to the TAIC - below - they said;

Please note that we are unable to provide you with general ELT statistical information as we do not hold it. We suggest the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand may be better placed to assist with those queries.

So I ask CAA for the data regarding the total number of aircraft of any and all types involved in an incident/accident where the ELT has failed to 'emit an emergency locating signal as intended' from 1 January 2011 until 30 November 2021.

Yours faithfully,

Grayson Ottaway

TAIC OIA;

In Aviation inquiry AO-2019-003 you stated at 3.44;

'The Commission has investigated previous accidents where ELTs failed to operate as designed. Following an accident in 2011 the Commission made two recommendations to the CAA on the matter.'

at AO-2019-003 9.8 you stated;

'Between 26 March and 6 April 2021, the CAA provided an update on activities relating to the recommendations referred to in paragraphs 3.36 and 3.37, ELT reliability data following fatal accidents since 2011 and other safety initiatives. 9.9. On 28 April 2021 the Commission approved a draft report for circulation to five interested persons for their comment. The Commission received three responses, while the remaining two advised that they had no comments to make. As a result of the responses, further enquiries were made of Airways New Zealand, the CAA and Air Services Australia. Changes have been incorporated in this final report as a result.'

at AO-2019-003 9.9 you stated;

'On 28 April 2021 the Commission approved a draft report for circulation to five interested persons for their comment. The Commission received three responses, while the remaining two advised that they had no comments to make. As a result of the responses, further enquiries were made of Airways New Zealand, the CAA and Air Services Australia. Changes have been incorporated in this final report as a result.'

Could TAIC please provide;

The total number of aircraft of any and all types involved in an incident/accident where the ELT has failed to 'emit an emergency locating signal as intended' from 2011 referred to but undisclosed with regards the incident at AO-2019-003 3.44 below;

'The Commission has investigated previous accidents where ELTs failed to operate as
designed. Following an accident in 2011 the Commission made two recommendations
to the CAA on the matter'

Could TAIC also please provide a copy of the 'final report' referred to at AO-2019-003 9.9;

''On 28 April 2021 the Commission approved a draft report for circulation to five interested persons for their comment. The Commission received three responses, while the remaining two advised that they had no comments to make. As a result of the responses, further enquiries were made of Airways New Zealand, the CAA and Air Services Australia. Changes have been incorporated in this final report as a result.'

Link to this

From: Bridgette Chisnall
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand

Tçnâ koe Grayson

 

I acknowledge receipt of your OIA request to CAA dated 30 November 2021
for the following –

“So I ask CAA for the data regarding the total number of aircraft of any
and all types involved in an incident/accident where the ELT has failed to
'emit an emergency locating signal as intended' from 1 January 2011 until
30 November 2021.”

 

We received your request on 30 November 2021. We will endeavour to respond
to your request as soon as possible and in any event no later than 18
January 2021, being 20 working days after your request was received.
Please note, the response date shown takes into account:

 1. Christmas (25 December 2021)
 2. Summer holidays (25 December to 15 January)
 3. New Year's Day (1 January 2022)
 4. Day after New Year's Day (2 January 2022)

 

If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will notify you of
an extension of that timeframe. Your request is being handled by the OIA
Team. If you have any queries, please feel free to contact us at
[1][CAA request email] with the reference 22/OIR/131.

 

If any additional factors come to light which are relevant to your
request, please do not hesitate to contact us so that these can be taken
into account.             

 

 

Ngâ mihi

 

 

Bridgette Chisnall (she/her) | Official Information and Privacy
Coordinator

Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand  Q Aviation Security Service

Te Mana Rererangi Tûmatanui o Aotearoa  |  Kaiwhakamaru Rererangi

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Wellington, 6140, New Zealand

 

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Link to this

From: Bridgette Chisnall
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand

Tçnâ koe Grayson

 

I acknowledge receipt of your OIA request to CAA dated 30 November 2021
for the following –

“So I ask CAA for the data regarding the total number of aircraft of any
and all types involved in an incident/accident where the ELT has failed to
'emit an emergency locating signal as intended' from 1 January 2011 until
30 November 2021.”

 

 

DECISION

 

The CAA has an ELT Activation field in their Occurrence reporting system
which records whether or not an ELT activates during an occurrence. Any
event which requires an ELT activation should be coded as an Accident. The
specific scenario of an ELT failing to activate when it should have
activated is not a data point which is specifically recorded. There are
over 600 Accidents within this period in which the ELT did not activate
based on this data. However, given that the ELT not activating would be
significant enough to be commented upon in the occurrence descriptor
field, we have searched for this term within the descriptor field. Based
on this search, there were 5 accidents between the time period of 1
January 2011 until 30 November 2021 which the ELT was recorded as not
activating. For context, there were 43 accidents in this time period in
which the ELT did activate.

 

We trust this assists with your query. If you have any further questions
please feel free to contact me at [1][CAA request email]

 

 

 

Ngâ mihi

 

 

Bridgette Chisnall (she/her) | Official Information and Privacy
Coordinator

Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand  Q Aviation Security Service

Te Mana Rererangi Tûmatanui o Aotearoa  |  Kaiwhakamaru Rererangi

Level 8, Aon Centre, 1 Willis Street, Wellington 6011, PO Box 3555,
Wellington, 6140, New Zealand

 

This e-mail (and its accompanying attachments) is intended for the named
recipient only and may contain information that is confidential and
subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient please
inform the sender and destroy the message. If you have received this
message in error you must not distribute or copy this e-mail or its
attachments. The Civil Aviation Authority accepts no responsibility for
any changes made to this message after the transmission from the Civil
Aviation Authority. Before opening or using attachments, check them for
viruses and other effects. This communication may be accessed or retained
for information assurance and cyber security purposes.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[CAA request email]

Link to this

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