National review into charity medical flights announced as part of investigation into Angel Flight crash in Mount Gambier

CRITICAL safety issues on nationwide non-emergency medical charity flights will be reviewed as part of an investigation into a plane crash near Mt Gambier which killed three people.

• One year on: Victims open up 12 months after Rossair tragedy
• Tributes to Mount Barker stalwart Grant Gilbert, killed in Angel Flight crash

CRITICAL safety issues on non-emergency medical charity flights will be investigated in a nationwide inquiry as part of an investigation into a plane crash in Mt Gambier which killed three people last year.

Angel Flight, which was involved in two fatal plane accidents within a six-year period, is among the organisations under the microscope of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s review.

Planning, co-ordination and oversight of the flights will be investigated in the review as part of the investigation into the Mt Gambier plane crash on June 28, 2017.

It killed pilot Grant Gilbert, 78, 16-year-old Emily Redding and her mother, Tracy Redding.

The announcement of the investigation last week comes as 16 investigators depart from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

The ATSB confirmed nine transport safety investigators retired and seven resigned this financial year but there was no “significant spike” with attrition rates.

The authority will not meet its own deadline of completing the Mount Gambier investigation within 12 months.

The final report into the Angel Flight Mt Gambier crash is not expected until late this year, almost 18 months after the crash.

The wreckage of the Angel Flight crash near Mount Gambier a year ago. Three people died. Picture: Tom Huntley

A report into the Renmark Rossair crash in May will not be released until early 2019, following the resignation of the lead investigator.

The Angel Flight investigation has been complicated by the authority expanding the scope of its review to include all safety data from non-emergency medical flights by voluntary organisations and charities.

Angel Flight chief executive Marjorie Pagani said the charity was being transparent with investigators.

“Angel Flight has always adopted a very strict recruiting process for our pilots and drivers, and continues to do so,” Ms Pagani said.

“We have opened our books, procedures and systems to both the ATSB and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, and continue to have an open and co-operative relationship with both authorities. We have a commitment to doing all that is possible in our own environments to enhance safety.”

Ms Pagani said there had been an “overwhelming” show of support for Angel Flight in the year following the crash.

“The public support for Angel Flight and its dedicated volunteer pilots and drivers has also been overwhelming, particularly in South Australia, where we assist a rapidly growing number of disadvantaged rural families to obtain medical treatment in the cities,” Ms Pagani said.