The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched a separate investigation in to the approval of a building struck by a Beech King Air at Essendon last year.
Six people died aboard King Air VH-ZCR when it struck a Direct Factory Outlet (DFO) building at Essendon after the aircraft diverted from its take-off path and failed to gain altitude.
The ATSB said that it has opened investigation AI-2018-010 into the approval process that led to the DFO being approved so that it would not delay the investigation report into the crash.
"The building was part of the Bulla Road Precinct Retail Outlet Centre development, which was proposed by the lessee of Essendon Airport in 2003 and approved by the Federal Government in 2004," the ATSB has stated.
"Due to the specialist nature of the approval process and airspace issues attached to the retail centre development, and not to delay the final report into the accident from February 2017, the ATSB has decided to investigate this matter separately.
"The investigation will examine the building approval process from an aviation safety perspective, including any airspace issues associated with the development, to determine the transport safety impact of the development on aviation operations at Essendon Airport."
The investigation report into the cause of the crash on 21 February last year is thought to be in the final stages, and the tentative date for the report into the building approval has been set for August 2018.