Overview

• The Defence Flight Safety Bureau released its final report on the July 2023 MRH-90 Taipan crash, identifying spatial disorientation as the primary cause.
• Captain Danniel Lyon's last-second evasive action likely prevented a collision with another helicopter, saving four lives despite his own aircraft being unrecoverable.
• The crash, which occurred during a night training exercise near Hamilton Island, killed all four crew members on board Bushman 83.
• Fatigue was found to have increased the pilots' susceptibility to disorientation, with disrupted work patterns and poor sleeping conditions highlighted as contributing factors.
• All 46 safety recommendations from the report, including improvements to training, equipment, and fatigue management, have been accepted and are being implemented by Defence.