ROSSAIR’s chief executive has defended the company’s safety record while grounding its fleet indefinitely after three of its pilots were killed in a plane crash near Renmark Airport.

The men, all experienced pilots from Adelaide, were named as chief pilot Martin Scott, 48, Civil Aviation Safety Authority officer Stephen Guerin, 56, and retraining pilot Paul Daw, 65.

The nine-seat Rossair charter plane, a Cessna Conquest, was on a check and training flight when disaster hit.

An SA Police search party found the plane wreckage about 4km west of the aerodrome at 7.10pm Tuesday night.

media_camera An aerial shot of the wreckage from the fatal Rossair plane crash, near Renmark. Picture: Dylan Coker

media_camera An aerial shot of the wreckage from the fatal Rossair plane crash, near Renmark. Picture: Dylan Coker

The Rossair aircraft had a clean maintenance record prior to its final flight on Tuesday afternoon, the charter company said.

Chief executive Warren Puvanendran flew into Adelaide on Wednesday and fronted media at the company’s Adelaide Airport base shortly after.

Mr Puvanendran said maintenance logs for the Cessna Conquest, which had been operational for 37 years, showed it had not had any mechanical issues in the past.

“From our point of view, there is nothing that would indicate that (there had been any mechanical issues),” he said.

“It’s been doing regular services for the last I don’t know how many years without incident.

“At this stage, we simply don’t know what happened.

Mr Puvanendran confirmed the plane had carried out multiple journeys on Tuesday morning but had a different crew on its final flight.

“The aircraft was on the ground for some time after its flights in the morning and then Martin and Paul took off in the afternoon,” he said.

Mr Puvanendran also said the company was confident its safety protocols were adequate.

“We’ve had an impeccable safety record,” he said.

However, Mr Puvanendran said the company had ceased flights indefinitely.

“As a precaution we have voluntarily grounded our operations,” he said.

“We will consult with CASA and the ATSB and we will make a decision (on when to recommence flights) based on their recommendations,” he said.

Major crash investigators at work at the scene of a plane crash which killed 3 pilots. pic.twitter.com/iT5i3pQd05 — Mitch Mott (@MitchMottTiser) May 31, 2017

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is investigating the accident with help from the Major Crash Unit, released a statement this morning, saying the plane crashed into the ground shortly after departure.

“The ATSB has deployed a team of five investigators to the accident site with expertise that includes aircraft operation and maintenance,” the statement said.

Tributes have been flowing for the victims. Mr Daw, who was due to retire from his role as chief pilot at an Adelaide-based flying school on Friday, was described by friends as “a legend” and “a great leader”, whose death was a “great loss”.

CASA this morning paid tribute to Mr Guerin, calling him “a true gentleman” who was passionate about aviation, meticulous about safety and widely respected”.

Large exclusion zone around the scene of a plane crash near Cooltong conservation park where three bodies have been found. @thetiser pic.twitter.com/3zEnfCtIG1 — Mitch Mott (@MitchMottTiser) May 30, 2017

Rossair — which has now grounded its entire fleet — confirmed in a statement last night its 37-year-old aircraft had been involved in the fatal crash.

“The loss of company personnel was profound for the families concerned and all company employees,” the statement read.

“The aircraft, a Cessna Conquest, was on a training flight from Adelaide to the Riverland and return.”

A statement from Rossair described the tragedy as “a devastating blow for the families involved, the Company and the group’s 30 employees”.

media_camera Statement from Rossair this morning after the air tragedy at Renmark.

“Our staff are in deep shock at our loss and our deepest sympathies are with the family members concerned. This is an extremely sad event. Rossair will work with aviation authorities to determine the cause of the crash,” it said.

The company later released another statement, paying tribute to its two pilots Mr Scott and Mr Daw.

The incident is the worst plane crash in South Australia since eight people on board a Whyalla Airlines flight were killed when it crashed into the Spencer Gulf on May 31, 2000.

media_camera Aerial picture of the Rossair flight wreckage near Renmark. Picture: Seven News

media_camera Aerial picture of the Rossair flight wreckage near Renmark. Picture: Seven News

media_camera Rossair confirms its plane was involved in the fatal Renmark crash.

A line of inquiry may be whether the crew were undertaking exercises during the takeoff, which could have included a simulated engine failure. These exercises are banned on larger aircraft because they are regarded as too dangerous and because pilots can use simulators.

But the exercises are still done on smaller aircraft where the engine is retarded but not turned off.

Three men dead after plane crash in SA Three men dead after plane crash in SA

The Cessna Conquest 2 took off from Renmark Aerodrome after 4pm and the alarm was raised when the plane activated its emergency beacon about 4.30pm.

An SA Police spokesman confirmed a report by AusSAR (Australian Search and Rescue) of an ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter) aboard a Cessna Conquest.

Police Major crash investigators are at the scene and are expected to be relieved by air crash investigators early this afternoon.

Specialist investigators from Sydney and Canberra will join their Adelaide counterparts for the in-depth analysis.

media_camera A rescue helicopter landing at Renmark Aerodrome on Tuesday night. Picture: Murray Pioneer

Around 20 SES members helped search for the wreckage.

The last time three people were killed in an aviation accident in South Australia was when an ABC helicopter crashed while filming a documentary on flooding at Lake Eyre in August 2011.

Emergency personnel are using a dirt track to access the scene, which is in sparse scrub several kilometres off Santos Rd.

The activity log of the plane — which operates with the registration code VH-XMJ — shows that it completed several flights earlier in the day.

Tragic news regarding the loss of a Cessna Conquest at Renmark SA. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families & friends of the 3 crew. https://t.co/gpuWHhjPTW — AOPA Benjamin Morgan (@aopaaustralia) May 30, 2017

It first left Parafield Airport at 7.46am yesterday en route to Beverley uranium mine in the state’s Far North. It then flew back from Beverley to Parafield at 9.13am.

The plane then did another return trip from Parafield to Beverley, before making a five-minute flight from Parafield to Adelaide Airport.

It left Adelaide Airport bound for Renmark at 3.24pm.

The Renmark Aerodrome is unattended, without any air traffic controllers, and relies on pilots co-ordinating landing and takeoff between themselves.



SHOCKED REACTION

News of South Australia’s worst plane crash since the Whyalla Airlines disaster prompted widespread shock.

Premier Jay Weatherill said: “This is tragic news. I offer my heartfelt sympathies to the families of those who have died”.

South Australian Liberal Senator Anne Ruston, who was born in Renmark, tweeted her devastation.

“Horrible, horrible news. My thoughts & prayers with loved ones who have tragically lost family members tonight in a plane crash in Renmark,” she wrote.

Horrible, horrible news. My thoughts & prayers with loved ones who have tragically lost family members tonight in a plane crash in Renmark — Anne Ruston (@Anne_Ruston) May 30, 2017

Tragic news to hear three people have lost their lives in a plane crash in Renmark. My thoughts are with their loved ones. — Tim Whetstone (@TimWhetstoneMP) May 30, 2017

Local MP Tim Whetstone said the news was devastating.

“Tragic news to hear three people have lost their lives in a plane crash in Renmark,” he said.

“My warm, heartfelt feelings go out to the family and friends of those involved,” he said.

A regular Adelaide-based Rossair traveller, Phil Egel, also expressed his shock and sadness.

“I fly regularly with this great SA charter company and many times on the plane that went down,” he posted on social media.

“RIP to those who have lost their lives, and sincere sympathies to their families and friends.”

Renmark Paringa Council mayor Neil Martinson said he did not believe the people involved were from the area but could not be certain.

He said training flights regularly came from Parafield, touched down at Renmark, then returned to Adelaide.

Air Services Australia which is responsible for Australia’s airspace management including aviation communications is aware of the disaster.

“We don’t believe there was any contact with air traffic control,” a spokeswoman said.

“We are aware of the incident and at this stage local police and the Air Transport Safety Bureau are investigating.”



HISTORIC COMPANY

Adelaide-based Rossair, established in 1963, is Australia’s second longest continually operating air charter company, after Qantas.

Its fleet ranges from 10-seaters to 30-seat aircraft and it recently branched out into charter tourism services.

media_camera Police and SES teams near the scene of the tragic incident. Picture: Greg Higgs

In Adelaide, flights depart from a private flight lounge at Adelaide Airport where passengers walk straight on to the tarmac.

The company specialises in the oil, gas and mining industries.

In November 2013, it merged with Air South, another South Australia-based charter company.

At that time Rossair’s Belinda Lindh told The Advertiser a focus on safety, cost efficiency and the ability to deliver personnel to outback areas comfortably and efficiently had been the philosophy behind Rossair’s success.

“Rossair had always tended to focus on the 10 seater market while Air South, with its larger 19 seat aircraft, had been more involved in regional fly in fly out operations with a larger number of personnel,” she said at the time of the merger.

“It made a lot of sense to bring the two businesses together formally to allow the group to be able to service both markets better.”