ABC chopper crash prompts new rules

A HELICOPTER crash in the South Australian outback which claimed three lives has prompted tougher regulations for night-time flying.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) will require all helicopters flying after dark to be equipped with an autopilot or to use two-pilot crews following the crash which killed journalist Paul Lockyer, cameraman John Bean and pilot Gary Ticehurst.

Their ABC chopper came down in a area of the Cooper Creek, about 145km north of Marree in August, 2011. It burst into flames, leaving a 60-metre debris trail.

A report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) on Thursday said pilot Ticehurst had become "spatially disoriented" soon after takeoff probably as he tried to reprogram an on-board GPS.

Spacial disorientation occurs when a pilot does not correctly sense the position, motion and attitude of an aircraft.

"It is often simply described as the inability to determine which way is up," the ATSB said.

It said in the dark conditions at the time the horizon may have been faintly visible but would have been difficult to detect from within the chopper.

As a result of the crash, CASA will also impose tougher pilot licensing rules including extra competency checks and a requirement for pilots carrying passengers to have conducted three takeoffs and landings at night in the previous 90 days.

ABC managing director Mark Scott told staff the organisation would read, absorb and respond to the ATSB findings with an overriding concern for staff welfare.

"The ABC will act on these recommendations by ensuring there is no night (helicopter) flying until the corporation updates its systems in response," he said.

Mr Scott said the thoughts of all at the ABC were once again with the families, friends and colleagues of those killed.

"While the ATSB report is a necessary part of the follow-up process it does serve as a tragic reminder of their painful loss in the desert sands near Lake Eyre," he said.

Pip Courtney, wife of John Bean, said investigators had initially indicated that because of the severity of the crash and the fire they might never be able to tell the families what happened.

But she said they never gave up and their efforts included sending feathers to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington and the remains of the GPS to the American military for examination.

"I would like to thank the investigation team for its efforts," Ms Courtney said in a statement.

"I can only hope their discoveries and recommendations will be acted on by the aviation community."

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