ADF pilots in denial about 'extreme' fatigue: expert

Defence pilots often struggle to identify when they are fatigued but opt to push on regardless through a "get the job done" mentality, an inquiry into a fatal army helicopter crash has heard.

Young aviators with bloodshot eyes who were more-or-less "dragging" themselves to their cars would still say they felt alert, sleep scientist Raymond Matthews said.

The expert, who is undertaking a review of fatigue management in the Australian Defence Force, was giving evidence on Tuesday at an inquiry into a MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash off Queensland's Lindeman Island during a training exercise.

Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs died in the crash in July 2023.

Fatigue was a major concern for air crew in the days and months before the fatal crash, the inquiry previously heard.

Dr Matthews said self-reporting of fatigue among personnel was not as common as it needed to be and many did not know how to spot the signs.

"It's this drive to get the job done," he told an inquiry hearing in Sydney.

"It won't be then, uncommon, to follow that young pilot off of base in the car and then watch them drive through a red light or something on the way home.

"You just know that they're under an extreme amount of fatigue that they're not necessarily willing to acknowledge."

Dr Matthews agreed it was "suboptimal" to have crew sleep during the day inside a large tent next to an active aerodrome, which the inquiry heard took place during the fatal training exercise.

Commanders were quick to create better sleeping environments when they became aware of issues, but some defence conditions created a situation that made it almost impossible for someone to get rest, he said.

Fatigue could contribute to slower reaction times or impair situational awareness, causing a pilot to not react appropriately to new information.

When asked whether the defence force was well equipped to respond to fatigue and increased work pressure, Dr Matthews replied: "I think we have a lot of work to do to be well equipped."

Concerns have been raised at the inquiry that senior air crew were overworked due to junior crew being unable to gain the required flight hours as half the fleet of Taipan helicopters was regularly grounded for maintenance.

The helicopters were permanently grounded following the crash ahead of their previously planned decommissioning in December.

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