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Accident Investigation
Accident Investigation
Name
Institution
Accident Investigation
Explain the accident investigation roles of each of the following agencies: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Explain why military services investigate and report their own accidents.
The role of the FAA in accident investigation is to evaluate and record all facts and circumstances leading to the action and ensure that action is taken to prevent similar accidents. This allows them to determine whether the accident involved any FAA-certified facilities and airmen and whether there was a violation of the FAA regulations that may have led to the accident. They are then responsible for informing the NTSB about the facts and circumstances surrounding the accident for determination of a probable cause. The NTSB is responsible for investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States, determining probable causes for these accidents and making recommendations to address any safety issues that have been identified. It sometimes delegates investigations to other agencies such as the FAA and uses the facts and information collected to determine the probable cause for the accident.
The ICAO is responsible for overseeing the safety of international flights and ensuring the international safety laws are followed. Investigations during accidents are carried by agencies within the countries associated with the accident. However, it monitors techniques and practices used during accidents and also give recommendations on safety standards. Military services investigate and report their own accidents to protect privileged safety information that may compromise the security of the country as a whole. It does its own investigations and reports them to the NTSB while ensuring such information is not released to the public.
Explain how ICAO determines jurisdiction of international aviation accidents. Explain the reasons why the NTSB is often requested to assist in international aviation accident investigations.
According to Annex 13 of the ICAO requirements, the jurisdiction of international aviation accidents lies with the country where the accident has occurred, the country where the airline operator is from, the country responsible for the design and manufacturing of the aircraft and the State where the aircraft is registered. All these countries provide representatives to conduct investigations. The State where the accident occurred is in charge of the investigation. The NTSB is often requested to assist in the investigation where the airline involved and/or the aircraft is registered in the U.S. However, it is also requested because it is charged with ensuring compliance with the US obligations under the Annex 13 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
Identify and explain the duties of three of the NTSB GO Team members
The Go Team is responsible for immediate dispatch in the event of a major accident investigation and should be on call at all times. Representatives are chosen from different specialties in the NTSB. These are the human performance group who are responsible for investigating factors relating to the crew in the aircraft and any other factors that may have affected them before the accident occurred. Such factors include human error, influence of alcohol and drugs among others. Another specialty group in the Go team is the air traffic control group who are responsible for compiling information relating to any air traffic services given to the aircraft such as controller-pilot transmissions. A group specializing in structures of the plane is also part of the Go team. This is responsible for documenting the state of the aircraft wreckage and accident scene including calculation of impact angles to help determine the plane’s pre-impact course and attitude. These three specialty groups together with many others such as weather enable the NTSB to come up with a probable cause for the accident.
Analyze the potential problems from rescue operations facing the investigator upon initial arrival at the accident scene. Explain the personal hazards that an investigator may encounter at an accident scene and personal precautions the investigator should take.
Potential problems from rescue operations that may face the investigator include flammable materials that may pose a risk of starting a fire and causing them harm. In addition there may be some items and materials that may emit toxic and hazardous gases in the area thereby leading to respiratory and even disease. The investigator is also at risk of getting cuts from metal and other sharp materials that may have been detached from the aircraft during the accidents. Before an investigation commences, a safety officer should be sent to the scene to analyze the scene and advise the members on how to protect them. However, an investigator should take personal precautions to protect themselves. This includes wearing protective clothes that will enable them to work in the area without any harm. They should wear heavy overalls and footwear that protect them in case of fire break outs. Heavy foot wear protect the feet from sharp and hazardous objects on the ground. In addition, they should also wear gas masks until it is verified that there are no toxic gases being emitted in the area. Gloves are also important when handling materials and items in the accident scene to prevent the hands from getting hurt and cut.
Analyze the types of electronic evidence to be collected at the scene. What precautions should be taken with electronic evidence?
Types of electronic evidence collected are photographs, videos and voice recordings. Digital pictures can be taken of the wreck to keep record of how the accident scene was. This should be done before the investigation begins or the wreckage disturbed as it is crucial in determining the probable cause. Videos should also be compiled to record the state of the accident scene from the start and act as evidence. Voice recordings of the witnesses being interviewed are also important and enable the investigating team to analyze the situation that could have led to the accident. Precaution should be taken in storing the electronic material collected at the scene to ensure they are not tampered with or destroyed. They are very crucial to the investigations and should be stored where there is limited and only authorized access.
Analyze the basic method of investigating all aircraft systems?
The first stage in the investigation process involves laying the groundwork for the process by making sure all equipment necessary are available. The investigators also inform the relevant authorities of their activities in the area. They should also organize for security for the wreckage in order to ensure no evidence is lost. Basic information such as the number of casualties, type of cargo and what happened during the accident is collected in order to be able to establish what safety requirements will be needed. The next stage involves making the necessary safety requirements in relation to the hazards identified. This ensures the investigators have the necessary protective clothes for the investigation. Once all these preliminary activities have been done, they visit the accident site and photograph the whole area to preserve the evidence. The next step is collecting the perishable evidence that can be destroyed with time. This ensures that the evidence is preserved even in the event that they are moved hence destroying the evidence. Finally they make a wreckage diagram and use the information to make conclusion on the probable cause for the accident. Movement of the wreckage should be delayed until after all this evidence has been collected and recorded.
Explain the Reasons “Swiss Cheese” model for analyzing human factors in aviation accidents.
The “Swiss Cheese” model states that accidents occur as a result of human errors which influence each other. It looks at actions that are likely to be overlooked and may be instrumental in causing the accident. Such factors, though, not intended to be harmful build up and finally contribute to the accident. The “Swiss Cheese” model looks at four levels back from when the accident occurred and therefore come up with a probable cause. An example is when poor recruiting leads to incompetent supervisors who in turn do not oversee the activities being carried leaving room for mistakes to be made. These mistakes then lead to the accident and cause harm.
Contrast the enhancements to aviation safety provided by increased cockpit automation with the potential human factors hazards introduced with automation.
Cockpit automation has led to improved performance and reliability thereby enabling the pilot to have better control of the electro-mechanical systems. The pilot’s job is therefore to monitor the system during the flight. However, this is a potential hazard factor as pilots do not understand the system well and may lead to an accident as they cannot control it or even detect the problem. In addition, automation reduces the situation awareness of the pilots and they are unable to react to situation fast enough than if they were controlling it manually.
Explain the reasons why structural failure normally requires multiple disciplines and laboratory analysis to confirm investigator suspicions.
This happens because structural failure is not in itself a cause for an accident. It can be caused by other factors such as weather and human factors such as pilot mistakes and a faulty manufacture. The investigator requires more disciplines and laboratory analysis in order to make sure they get the underlying cause. For example in case of a faulty manufacture, they have to check all the similar products and repair them.
What is System Safety? Why has System Safety become more widely used in aircraft design, safety program management, and accident investigation? Explain the two factors are used to determine the risk level of a specific hazard?
System safety refers to the application of technical skills to identify the risk of an accident occurring and coming up with ways to reduce and control the risk. It is widely used in aircraft design, safety program management and accident investigation because it maximizes on the safety of the aircraft and minimizes the risk of it causing an accident by establishing an acceptable risk level before the plane is allowed to fly. Factors that are used to determine the risk level of a hazard include human factors and the aircraft itself. The competence of an individual is crucial in determining whether or not they make mistakes that can lead to an accident. The aircraft systems are also evaluated and their risk level assessed to determine whether they are a potential hazard.
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Discuss the requirement to preserve perishable evidence. Explain at least three specific examples.
It is very important to preserve perishable evidence as soon as is possible because it is easily tampered with and hence destroyed. The investigators should ensure it is taken during the early stages of the investigations before it becomes less credible. Examples of such evidence include fuel samples, condition of the runway and ground scars that show the impact the aircraft made on the ground during the accident.
What is the traditional relationship between impact angle and velocity versus aircraft break-up and wreckage distribution?
In investigating aircraft accidents, the investigators have to check and record the positions of ground marks where the plane had impact, the wreckage and other relevant things. The impact angle determines how the plane will be wrecked. Where the velocity is high, the wreckage and airplane break up will also be higher and the impact more intense. It also determines the crash survivability. The velocity of the plane affects the tolerance level of the individuals as high speeds leads to higher impact and lower tolerance levels in individuals.
Contrast in-flight fire evidence with ground fire evidence.
In flight fire evidence refers to signs or clues that suggest that there had been a fire in the plane. The signs include a fire extinguishing system that had been activated and dropped oxygen masks. Ground fire evidence refers to those clues that show that the fire started after the plane made impact with the ground. Some parts of the plane will also be destroyed by an in-flight fire but will not be destroyed in case of a ground fire. An in-flight fire causes more damage to the plane than a ground fire and leaves more casualties.
In investigating a midair collision, what is the most important factor to determine? Why?
The most important factor to consider in investigating a mid year collision is what influenced the risk. Some of such factors are amount of air traffic in the area and communication with the air traffic control. This is because it allows them to get a probable cause and give a safety recommendation that will prevent this from happening. Mid air collisions are usually fatal and should be minimized.
Analyze the factors that should be considered in deciding whether or not to reconstruct a crashed aircraft during the investigation.
To decide whether or not to construct a crashed aircraft, the investigators depend on the information acquired from the interpretation of the FDR data. When the FDR data does not provide sufficient insight into the accident, the investigators may need to reconstruct the flight path of the plane. The reconstruction of the flight path of a crashed aircraft provides a further understanding of the accidents and events surrounding it as well as providing insight into the most probable cause.
How is witness testimony used in comparison to physical evidence?
Witness testimony refers to information got from people who saw the accident happen. It is more subjective as it depends on an individual’s perception of the accident. It may, therefore, be less accurate. Physical evidence is that which has been collected from the accident scene and is usually more accurate compared to the witness testimony.
Discuss the three factors essential for a crash to be classified as “survivable”. What three pre-impact factors combine to effect crash survivability? Analyze the effects of each.
For a crash to be survivable, one of the essential factors is that the structure where people are seated is not badly damaged and is intact. This means that most of the occupants are not harmed badly. Secondly, the forces experienced by the occupants did not exceed or should not have exceeded the survivable limits of human G-tolerance. Thirdly, the occupants can survive the environmental conditions once they are evacuated from the plane. Pre-impact factors that combine to affect crash survivability are cabin structures that are strong and intact, a stable restraint system and deceleration forces. These help in achieving survivability of the occupants once the impact occurs. Intact cabin structures ensure that it remains intact even after the impact thereby protecting the passengers. A stable restraint for all passengers ensures they are not thrown about when the plane makes an impact.
Discuss the rules of thumb for accident photography including what to photograph and other sources of accident pictures. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of digital photography versus conventional film photography.
The first rule is that the airplane wreckage should be photographed in reference to the points of the compass. This allows the photographer to get the wreckage from different angles. The second rule is working in from the overall view to the close pictures of the wreckage. This also serves the same purpose and provides view of the accident scene. Pictures should be taken of the wreckage as well as the accident scene. In addition, investigators can get more photographs from witnesses and reporters at the scene. All evidence should be photographs in order to ensure the original state of the wreckage and site of the accident are captured for further analysis. Digital photography has more advantages compared to film photography. One is able to see the picture immediately and delete those which are not good enough and therefore get more pictures. Film photography, on the other hand, are more cumbersome since they need processing and development of the film before the pictures can be seen. There is a higher chance of messing up compared to the digital camera.
Analyze the process the NTSB uses to arrive at recommendations following an investigation. What is the limitation of NTSB recommendations?
The NTSB uses the facts and information collected from the investigation to make safety recommendations and come up with a probable cause. All facts are considered depending on the conditions and circumstances surrounding the accident. The NTSB recommendations are limited to the accuracy of the facts and information collected which determine the recommendation and conclusion given.
Why is crashworthiness often a secondary consideration in aircraft design?
Crashworthiness refers to the ability of an aircraft to protect its occupants in case of a crash. It is a secondary consideration in aircraft design as it does not translate into improving productivity and efficiency. Adding such features will also increase the cost of construction and may lead to less performance level and the plane becomes heavier than before. Therefore, most manufacturers feel that the constraints outweigh the benefits of incorporating crashworthiness into the design of an airplane.
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