Bushfire air crash investigation continues

The owner of the aircraft that crashed while water bombing an out of control bushfire at Peak View wants answers.

NSW Police aerial photo showing the crash site at Peak View southwest of Sydney. Picture: NSW Police/AP

The owner of the aircraft that crashed while water bombing an out of control bushfire at Peak View last Thursday has made it clear he has come to Australia for answers.

Wayne Coulson, of the Canadian-based Coulson Aviation, has held a contract to provide aerial firefighting capacity to the NSW Rural Fire Service for several years.

On Sunday, he visited the site where a Lockheed C-130 Hercules crashed killing all three US crewmen on board, and on Monday he fronted a media conference to speak of the loss.

“This loss is indescribable,” Mr Coulson said.

“To see our aircraft on the ground, knowing we’ve had such loss of life, was devastating.”

Captain Ian McBeth, first officer Paul Hudson and flight engineer Rick deMorgan all lost their lives in the crash which is now under investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

Investigators retrieved the cockpit voice recorder from the wreckage on Saturday but it is not yet known if the contents have shed any light on what went wrong.

NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said the site itself provided few clues.

“You can see that the plane has come into contact with the ground and slid for some time before coming to rest and burning,” said Commissioner Fitzsimmons.

“That’s all we know at this stage.”

Mr Coulson said it was critically important they found the cause.

“We are a safety-first company and average over 6000 firefighting missions per year around the world,” he said.

“For that reason it is vital we understand the circumstances of the crash.”

The investigation continued to progress steadily with the ATSB interviewing witnesses in Cooma on Monday and mapping the crash site.

ATSB chief commissioner Greg Hood said a drone was carrying out the 3D-mapping at Peak View.

“Site mapping is a critical element of this investigation’s initial evidence gathering phase, as it will allow our investigators to build a detailed picture of the nature and sequence of the accident, and it will provide a visual preservation of the accident site for future analysis,” Commissioner Hood said.

Mapping would also help to determine what components of the aircraft would be recovered for further analysis at technical facilities, he said.

The full maintenance history of the C-130 was carried by Mr Coulson to Australia to assist with the investigation.

Other Coulson aircraft grounded after Thursday’s crash have now returned to service assisting the RFS by dumping water and fire retardant on bushfires.

Conditions permitting, relatives of the three men killed will visit the site where their loved ones lost their lives on Wednesday.