Macao carries out wreckage mapping exercise with participation of foreign entities for the first time

To enhance the investigation skill of the local aviation investigators as well as the regional cooperation on aircraft accident investigation, the investigators of mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore met with our local investigators and mapping technicians in Macao to conduct a joint wreckage mapping exercise for two days. The exercise went on smoothly and achieved its goal. The participants were able to further develop their skills in using the mapping equipment and their knowledge in data analysis.

The exercise was carried out on 25 and 26 March 2015, simulating an aircraft crash at Coloane after the aircraft has taken off from Macau International Airport due to engine failure. The Civil Aviation Authority of Macao SAR (AACM) immediately established the accident investigation team to start investigation. When the search and rescue work was concluded, the team went to the accident site to perform the wreckage mapping and documentation, and then worked out the data plotting and analysis, and concluded the exercise with a debriefing.

The mapping drill is the first of its type to have been run by AACM inviting foreign entities to participate. The invited parties were the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong SAR and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board of Singapore. In consideration that the exercise was concerned with mapping, AACM also invited Macao’s Cartography and Cadastre Bureau to take part.

The exercise investigation team, composed of 30 members, was operating the mapping and videoshooting equipment such as the Global Positioning System, the infrared and laser measuring equipment, the 3-D scanner, the unmanned aerial vehicle and so on in the wreckage mapping. The members were also taking the tape measurement to map the wreckage pieces and then comparing the results with the two methods.

Through training activities in regional cooperation projects, AACM hopes to grasp the various opportunities to put theories into practice and acquire the valuable knowledge of the foreign entities in carrying out the respective work, with the aim of enhancing the knowledge and skill of our local investigators.

AACM’s Accident Prevention and Investigation Group (APIG) was established in May 2013 and ever since then has been playing an active role in the respective activities organized by the International Civil Aviation Organization and its subsidiaries, such as attending or hosting conferences and workshops. APIG has also taken part in the exercises organized in other places, for example, high mountain, desert survival, sea search and so on. In addition, APIG will attend the “Third Meeting of the Asia Pacific Regional Aviation Safety Team – Accident Investigation Ad hoc Working Group” held in Sri Lanka in this June and will present the report of the exercise in the meeting.

The aviation investigators and the mapping technicians in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Singapore conducted a joint wreckage mapping exercise in Macao on 25 & 26 March 2015.

The aviation investigators and the mapping technicians in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Singapore conducted a joint wreckage mapping exercise in Macao on 25 & 26 March 2015.

The exercise participants of Macao were working on the wreckage mapping and documentation as well as analyzing the data.

The exercise participants of Macao were working on the wreckage mapping and documentation as well as analyzing the data.