The helicopter that crashed south of Sydney, killing four people, had not yet complied with safety advice to replace a fuel tank known to explode in crashes, an investigation revealed yesterday.
And the Civil Aviation Safety Authority has revealed it was unsure how many others of the same type of helicopter were still flying.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has said those tanks were "susceptible to post-accident fuel leaks, increasing the risk of a fatal post-impact fire".
Manufacturer Robinson issued a worldwide bulletin to all R44 operators to retrofit fuel tanks with a "bladder-type" by April 30, 2013.
The bulletin was first issued following a fatal crash at Cessnock Airport but Robinson brought forward its compliance date to this year following a second fatal crash at Jaspers Brush last year.
Only last month the Civil Aviation Safety Authority wrote to all 397 registered R44 operators in Australia recommending the tanks be modified.CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said to date only 25 percent of registered R44 operators had informed the safety regulator of the retrofit.
"We did ask them to tell us but only a quarter have ... as for the other three-quarters we just don't know. Many may well have but they're yet to notify us," he said.
Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigators will remain at the crash scene today as they continue to piece together what went wrong.
NSW Police are also working alongside the air safety experts, preparing a brief for the coroner.
Wollongong Acting Superintendent Tim Beattie said the victims of the crash had yet to be formally identified.
He confirmed those killed were not an engaged couple planning to inspect the venue for a wedding - as was reported yesterday.
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