Air force setup blamed in fatal crash
Confusion over the air force chain of command contributed to the 2010 Anzac Day helicopter crash which killed three men, the Returned and Services Association says.
It also warned proposed structural changes to the Defence Force were ‘‘dangerous and unnecessary’’.
RSA spokesman Robin Klitscher yesterday told Parliament’s foreign affairs committee ‘‘unconscious dissolving of clear and singular command lines in the air force contributed’’ to the early morning Kapiti Coast crash.
It killed three of the four crew from the Ohakea-based 3 Squadron: pilot Flight Lieutenant Hayden Madsen, 33; co-pilot Flying Officer Daniel Gregory, 28; and crewman Corporal Ben Carson, 25. Sergeant Stevin Creeggan, 37, survived serious injuries.
Following a court of inquiry, air force chief Air Vice-marshal Peter Stockwell said the seeds of the accident were planted during restructuring 10 years earlier, which led to two levels of command being removed for efficiency.
Command at the Manawatu base at Ohakea has now been reorganised.
Mr Klitscher, a former 3 Squadron commander, told Fairfax Media that blurring command structures also blurred the supervisory system.
‘‘You will not know what is happening in insubordinate elements. It’s very dangerous, especially in the business defence is in, which is taking risks, but controlled ones.’’
The Defence Force has been moving from separate army, navy and air force to a joint force over the past decade.
The Defence Amendment Act currently before Parliament would enable the chief of the defence force to directly command all three. It would also allow the State Services Commissioner to make recommendations for the position to the defence minister, who in turn would make a recommendation to the governor-general. The minister could also ask the commissioner to review the chief’s performance.
Mr Klitscher said the changes were likely to see a focus on managerial skills, rather than military experience which was ‘‘fraught with risks’’. He said the Government and the Defence Force had to be kept separate.