FED: Qantas says report into Bangkok crash is a wake up call

AAP General News (Australia)
04-25-2001
FED: Qantas says report into Bangkok crash is a wake up call

Qantas management has described a safety report into one of its planes sliding off
a runway in Bangkok as a timely wake-up call.

The report -- prepared by the Australia Transport Safety Bureau -- strongly criticises
the airline over the September 1999 accident.

The bureau claimed Qantas had failed to teach pilots how to land on wet runways.

Qantas chief executive officer GEOFF DIXON says the airline had accepted the report's
findings and recommendations.

Mr DIXON says the airline had since taken action on all the issues raised in the report.

But he says he cannot guarantee there would not be a repeat of the Bangkok incident.

Mr DIXON says the airline fully co-operated with the ATSB.

He says action taken since the crash included better hazard identification, risk assessment
and management decision-making processes.

Training procedures for approaches and landings on water-affected and contaminated
runways had also been improved.





The 1999 incident occurred when Qantas flight QF1 attempted to land at Dom Muang Airport
in Bangkok, Thailand, in torrential rain.

The pilot had attempted to abort the landing before reversing this decision, causing
the plane to fishtail more than 2km down the runway.

No one was seriously injured.

AAP RTV ls/rk/rp/jtb





(EDS -- CHANGES KEYWORD TO QANTAS SAFETY FROM QANTAS ATSB)

KEYWORD: QANTAS SAFETY REACT (REISSUING)

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