Report: Investigation of Air Crash Beech Super King Air 200 VH-SKC

This report details the investigation of the Beech Super King Air 200 VH-SKC air crash that occurred on September 4, 2000, in Burketown, Queensland. The investigation, conducted by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, focused on the interior aspects of the aircraft, revealing that the aircraft was in good condition and the crash was caused by the failure of the pressurization system. The report analyzes the accident scene, emphasizing evidence preservation, forensic photography techniques, and the use of the SMEAC approach. It also covers witness testimonies, aircraft forensics, and the role of toxicology in determining the cause of the accident, concluding that the pilot and passenger incapacitation was due to a failure of the pressurization system. The report highlights the importance of camera techniques, evidence handling, and mapping the scene for a comprehensive investigation.

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INTRODUCTION TO
INVESTIGATION METHODS
Name:
Class:
Course:
Professor (Tutor):

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The Name of the School (University)
The City and State
The Date

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4 September 2000, Burketown Queensland, Air Crash, Beech Super King Air 200, VH-SKC
The investigation of aircrafts accidents in Australia vary. These include, aeronautical,
public sector, agricultural, national and regional cases. Aviation safety is important and the
Australian government provides safety standards in order to reduce their occurrences.
Airworthiness evaluates the facility as well as the flight standards because flight safety is a
comprehensive approach. The Beech Super King Air 200 VH-SKC investigation report of 4
September 2000, involved the Transport Department and Australian Regional Services. The
Australian Transport Safety Bureau wrote the investigative report, under the governments
provisions of the Air Navigation Act of 1920 (Department of Transport and Regional Transport,
2000). Section 19CU of Part 2A features the air navigation laws within Australia and the external
territory. Its safety detail covers every person who has duties and functions on the aircraft. In this
case, the pilot and passenger incapacitation reveals that the plane had one pilot and seven
passengers.
1. Facts of the case
An analysis of the information is important because it determines the depth of focus. This is a
combination of data collected using multimedia elements including photos. In order to capture a
mapping process, investigators collect multiple images of the entire scene. The aligning of the
images captures evidence at the scene from different angles. It looks at the aircraft and brings out
the history of the flight and passenger injury.
a) The Accident Scene
The preservation of evidence is important because it ensures that the evidence is not lost, changed
or ignored. In this analysis, the information gathered comprised of aircraft damages, injury to
persons, and the condition of the aircraft. Tampering with these distorts the details of the case such
as the absence of passenger sounds in the aircraft five hours after takeoff. Loosing, damaging,
degrading or altering these data affects the collection of evidence. This is crucial in the continuity
of evidence, which was evident in the case, as the investigators needed supporting data on whether

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the aircraft landed on the offence. The investigative report described the aircraft condition through
its data, engines, radios and serviceability to support details of the aircraft after its damage. It
detected the uneven sound of the pilots breathing patterns. Investigators discovered that the pilot
was properly licensed therefore the incapacitation which caused the accident was not out of
negligence.
Figure 1: Getting the GPS location of the accident scene
b) Forensics
Although there were concerns about the weather patterns, investigations found the presence of
toxic fumes Carbon monoxide and Cyanide which had an effect on the passengers. The
investigators got this clue from the pilot’s impaired speech, lack of human response and sound
before the crash. The following steps led to this conclusion.
i) Camera
The camera is a significant tool in investigations and its technique matter the most. Adjusting the
depth of field (DOF) to capture the aperture range is important for clearer images of the accident
impact. For daytime photography, the ideal shutter speed is 1/60th of a second or more. The
denominator measure determines the speed so that higher lower numbers like 1/1000 represent
better speed than the 1/60. Forensic photography of the crash showed extensive damage, which
indicates the inability of the pilot to control the craft at all. Accurate camera exposure gives clear,
focused images for such scene photography. Using a light source such as a torch to light an
accident scene improves the image for night investigations.

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Figure 2: photography of same scene showing differences in lighting (staggs, 2014)
The use of color balance is also important in differentiating images and showing temperature or
environmental conditions. There are times when the manual camera mode produces better
snapshots. Camera sequencing helps to prevent deviating from the accident focus to surroundings.
Proper steps to capture the exterior and the interior also takes the overhead and backside images.
This showed the impact on ground.
ii) Aircraft forensics
A quick move to collect the evidence is necessary in order to avoid compromising the evidence.
The report explains the injuries to persons and extent of damage to the aircraft as well as additional
damages. The use of professional crash photography by investigators ensures that the images
captured are clear for reliable evidence in the courtroom and other use. Professional cameras for
nighttime scenes used prevent blurry and unclear images taken at night. The camera needs image
sensors, ISO effects for coarse, saturated, and coarse effects. The wreckage impact data captured
on camera must indicate when, how and the location of the evidence. Continuity leaves no gaps
and keeps a record of all those handling the evidence to give an account of all persons handling the
evidence and what they do. A microphone transmission revealed changes in passenger sound,
unintelligible sounds and stronger background noise (Borghini, et al., 2014).

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2. Mapping the Scene
Before starting the investigation, it is important to ensure the safety at scene. This investigation
had a focus on the interior of the plane as the primary focus and the exterior as a secondary
analysis.
a) Planning
After accessing the scene, the investigation team used equipment’s such as video and digital
cameras, safety cases, laptops and computers, sketchpads and digital data storage devices and
backup systems. It also had in place a first aid kit, compass and tents for nighttime investigations.
Teamwork involved contacting local and airport authorities for support. Having insight on the
primary scene and secondary scenes led to a focus on the interior. Conducting a brief of personnel
identified who was responsible for what tasks.
i) Photography
An overview of the scene as a whole gave the primary scene and identified how far its perimeter
and photography would cover. The secondary scene of the aviation crash and its surrounding gave
leads to the evidence and the nature of the accident. Since the team knew the objective of the
investigation, its leadership team led it into unearthing the truth. The Situation, Mission, Execution,
Administration and Communication (SMEAC) approach facilitated the aircraft content, control
system, passenger oxygen, fuel systems and radio. Real measurements of the scale used ratio of the
actual accident such as fuel content, oxygen system pressure, weight balance and GPS location.
This could be a linear graphic scale or a model representation of the real image. A tolerance or
error of +/- 100mm is applicable (IEE Xplore, 2017).

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Figure 3: photography for interior evidence
Figure 4: The use of grid reference using 90 degrees (Boots, 2014)

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Figure 5: Identification of the reference point using Datum point for compass bearing
Figure 6: Multiple references for difference evidence points
ii) Witnesses
The evidence log holds this information with photos and continuity records (shappell &
Wiegmann, 2012). The rule of the game is to have a single item for multiple continuity. In this
case, the aircraft condition revealed that it was in good condition and meteorological data showed
no weather challenges. Aircraft services also confirmed the uneven movement of the craft and poor
microphone transmissions. This led to the need for medical and autopsy findings to support the
toxicology claims.

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Figure 7: using models to understand aircraft movement
3. Conclusion
Investigations on the 4 September 2000, Burketown Queensland, Air Crash focused on the interior
aspects of the aircraft. This was after investigations of the aircraft operations concluded that the
plane was in good condition. The information obtained based on aircraft condition and wreckage
data led to the conclusion that there was failure of the pressurization system, which led to the
incapacitation of the pilot and passengers, hence the crash.
a) References
Boots, K. E., 2014. Crime Scene Diagramig: Back to basics. [Online]
Available at: https://www.forensicmag.com/article/2014/01/crime-scene-diagramming-back-basics
[Accessed 4 October 2017].
Borghini, G. et al., 2014. Measuring neurophysiological signals in aircraft pilots and car drivers for
the assessment of mental workload, fatigue and drowsiness. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral
Reviews, Volume 44, pp. 58-75.
Department of Transport and Regional Transport, 2000. Pilot and passenger incapacitation,
Queensland: Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
IEE Xplore, 2017. Line-of-sight MIMO in aicraft-to-aircraft data links. [Online]
Available at: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6979580/
[Accessed 4 October 2017].

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0shappell, S. A. & Wiegmann, D. A., 2012. A human error approach to aviation accident analyis:
the human factors analysis and classification system. s.l.:Ashgate Publishing.