Vendetta Claim As Airline Shuts
The Age
Tuesday August 1, 2000
ADELAIDE
Whyalla Airlines has conceded it will not fly again, surrendering its operator's certificate two months to the day after the fatal crash of flight 904.
The airline's managing director, Chris Brougham, launched a scathing attack on the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, alleging the authority deliberately stalled proceedings to force the airline to close.
An enraged and at times tearful Mr Brougham spoke yesterday afternoon, just hours after the airline withdrew its appeal in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal against CASA's suspension of its Air Operator's Certificate.
The airline has been grounded since the Piper Chieftain plunged into Spencer Gulf on May 31, killing all eight passengers.
Mr Brougham labelled the authority ``inefficient" and ``obstructionist", claiming CASA had a vendetta against the airline.
He said his company simply could not continue to fund a court battle against the authority, especially since the appeal looked set to last for four more weeks.
``We are broken. Financially and emotionally. We are tired of the attacks on our personal integrity and our professionalism, and we have had enough," Mr Brougham said.
He said the airline had spent about $70,000 on the appeal and estimated CASA to have spent about $300,000.
He said he was confident that the airline was not at fault in the accident.
Leading aviator Dick Smith has warned that unless there is a substantial shake-up at CASA, lives could be lost in a major accident in the near future.
CASA spokesman Peter Gibson defended the authority, saying that it had a responsibility to the general public to conduct a thorough investigation into the crash.
He acknowledged that a shake-up was needed and would be forthcoming, probably by the new year.
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© 2000 The Age
