Aircraft Accident Investigation Training

Introduction

During the five days of the airline safety investigation course, airline staff members will learn how to participate in an aircraft accident and serious incident investigation, in accordance with ICAO Annex 13 Standards. You will also learn about the concepts, techniques, and tools necessary for your airline to conduct effective internal safety investigations. Special attention is given to understanding the underlying causes of accidents and incidents in order to improve safety and prevent future occurrences.

This is a practical course that aims to provide participants with sufficient knowledge to understand how to develop and implement formal quality management disciplines in response to regulatory requirements. It also provides an overview of how an organization should take control of and manage internal audit programs designed to provide the Accountable Manager with the assurance of compliance with regulations and company working practices and designed to provide regulatory authorities with the confidence of an organization's self-monitoring process.

Objectives

In order to deliver a balanced training experience, the first three weeks of the course focuses on the fundamental skills required of an accident investigator by drawing upon the experiences of air, marine, and rail transport investigators. The remaining three weeks concentrate on applying techniques to the specialized aspects of aircraft operations and includes a week-long simulated accident investigation where delegates can apply the new skills learned.

By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• An understanding of the legal framework for the conduct of investigations
• An understanding of the organization of a large investigation
• An awareness of risk and hazard in aviation
• The skills of conducting a local investigation
• An insight into the way explanatory models shape an inquiry
• An understanding of investigation as a tool in an SMS
• An insight into event analysis in order to promote safety

Training Methodology

This is an interactive course. There will be open question and answer sessions, regular group exercises and activities, videos, case studies, and presentations on best practice. Participants will have the opportunity to share with the facilitator and other participants on what works well and not so well for them, as well as work on issues from their own organizations. The online course is conducted online using MS-Teams/ClickMeeting.

Who Should Attend?

• Aviation regulators involved in the assessment of an organizations quality management system and associated audit process
• Accountable Managers
• Quality Managers
• Audit Managers.

Course Outline

• The nature of the investigation: Legal requirements, the purpose of the investigation
• Conduct of a large investigation: Outline of how a major investigation is managed
• Risks and Hazards: Definitions ad concepts, implications for investigation planning
• Human factors in adverse events: Overview of Human Factors, Crew Resource Management, and Threat and Error Management
• Models of Event Causation: Review of major categories of accident causation models concentrating on the latest thinking in safety management
• Investigation and Safety Management: Developing a Safety Management System. Investigation as a tool within an SMS, investigation as a validation tool for an SMS
• Dealing with local incidents: Conducting the local investigation
• Investigating maintenance and air traffic: Application of investigation techniques across the aviation system
• Reporting writing: The structure of reports with emphasis on the Analysis section, the role of recommendation in investigation reports
• Learning from events: Drawing the correct conclusions

Fundamentals of Accident Investigation

• Legislation and Regulation
• Appraisal of the Accident Site
• Disaster Response
• Recovery of Wreckage
• Collection of Evidence
• Accident Photography
• Hazards Management on Site
• Wreckage Recovery
• Interviewing Techniques
• Structures and Crashworthiness
• Human Factors for Investigators
• Media Management
• Accident Pathology
• Data Recorders and their Analysis
• Analytical Techniques
• Systemic Approach to Investigation
• Managing Investigations
• Liaising with Victims and their Families
• Relations with the Regulator/Interested Parties
• Developing and Managing Recommendations
• Report Writing
• Follow-Up Actions
• Court Procedures for Investigators

Applied Aircraft Accident Investigation

• Management of complex investigations
• Investigation of military aircraft accidents
• Investigating operational accidents
• Investigating technical accidents
• Air Traffic Control investigations
• Cabin safety investigations
• Investigation of aircraft structural failures
• Aircraft powerplant investigations
• Investigating with recorded data
• Investigating survivability
• Impact and flight path assessment
• Aviation operational and engineering human factors
• Enhanced interview techniques
• Applied analysis methods
• Working with State-accredited representatives
• Working with the regulator
• A major manufacturer’s perspective
• Five-day accident simulation exercise
• Working with the media
• ICAO Annex 13 report writing
• State Director / Chief Inspector of Air Accidents' perspective