Scandalfall in aviation: Investigations of the SUB are on the brink!

Scandalfall in aviation: Investigations of the SUB are on the brink!

Graz, Österreich - Serious allegations shock the Austrian aviation: a 28-page advertisement against the Security examination body (sub) in two flight accidents last year. Passenger lawyer Wolfgang List accuses the investigators in the Ministry of Transport that they have suppressed evidence and have had abuse of office. It is about the dramatic return flight of an AUA machine from Mallorca, which in the summer of 2024 crossed a severe hailstan over Hartberg and failed in which important systems. Despite this alarming Situation, the crew decided to land in Vienna. In a further incident, a Swiss machine had to make an emergency landing on Christmas Eve because of dense smoke development in Graz, which led to the violation of 14 passengers and the death of a flight attendant.

slow and expensive investigations

The SUB had only classified the AUA incident as a "disorder" and thus ignored international standards that would require classification as an "accident". This classification has serious consequences, because it does not enable the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data writer. In the meantime there are doubts about the efficiency of the sub. According to a current Report of the Kurier , the Court of Auditors once again determined serious defects: Investigations are on average 31 months-far above the international standard. In addition, repeated complaints about sidelines from sub-employees have arisen who give the impression that the safety of passengers does not come first. An investigator, for example, is a taxi driver, which questions the credibility of the investigations.

The disappearance of a hard drive with decisive evidence and the lack of a homepage for the SUB, which is the only one of its kind in this regard, is particularly alarming. The inflation of expert reports and the slow processes seem to have become a norm. Regardless of the allegations, the Ministry of Transport rejected the claims and emphasized that the sub has performed its tasks correctly. The general power of attorney will now check the allegations - whether this leads to a significant change remains to be seen.