The Australian Defence Force is seeking to gut an independent inquiry’s ability to investigate the cause of a fatal Taipan helicopter crash that killed four army personnel last year. In a move that has infuriated the families of the victims, Defence has made a submission requesting that a “shopping list” of topics relating to the tragedy be excluded from the inquiry until the organisation has completed its own underpowered probe. ADF inspector-general Margaret McMurdo is investigating the deaths of Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Max Nugent, Warrant Officer Phil Laycock and Corporal Alex Naggs, who died during a Defence exercise on July 28 last year when their Taipan helicopter crashed into the sea off Lindeman Island in the Whitsundays.
In a hearing on Monday, Defence asked that the inquiry did not look into the crew’s actions on the night of the crash, the helmet-mounted sight display worn by the pilot, night vision systems, or “human factors.” Defence also sought to prevent McMurdo’s inquiry from examining fatigue management, flight supervision or authorisation, aviation risk management, aircrew training, aircraft design and certification, engineering, maintenance and “crash survivability”. Assistant inspector-general Colonel Jens Streit, who is assisting McMurdo, said during the hearing that would mean “quite a sizeable shopping list of areas” were now off limits.
The helicopter carrying the four men was flying in close formation with three other Ta.
