1. REPORTING OF OCCURRENCES
1.1 Regulation 2.5 of the Transport Safety Investigation Regulations
2003 (TSI Regulations) contains a list of responsible
persons for reporting aviation occurrences (Immediately and Routine
reportable matters listed below) to the ATSB.
1.2 Responsible persons are:
a. a crew member of the aircraft concerned;
b. the owner or operator of the aircraft;
c. a person performing an air traffic control
service in relation to the aircraft;
d. a person performing a dedicated aerodrome
rescue or fire fighting service in relation to the aircraft;
e. a person who:
(i) is licensed as an aircraft maintenance
engineer under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 or the
Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998,
and
(ii) does any work in relation to the
aircraft;
f. a member of the ground handling crew in
relation to the aircraft;
g. a member of the staff of the Civil Aviation
Safety Authority; and
h. the operator of an aerodrome.
1.3 A responsible person is excused from the
legal requirement to report if they have reasonable grounds to
believe another responsible person has reported the occurrence.
1.4 The occurrences a responsible person is
required to report are listed as either Immediately Reportable
Matters (IRM) or Routine Reportable Matters (RRM) in the TSI
Regulations. IRM must be reported as soon as reasonably practicable
by telephone (ss.18(1) TSI Act) on 1800 011 034, and then a follow
up written report must be made within 72 hours (ss.19(1) TSI Act).
RRM require only a written report within 72 hours (ss.19(1) TSI
Act).
1.5 Listed below are the IRM and RRM that must
be reported by all aircraft operations, those involved in air
transport operations, and those involved in aircraft
operations other than air transport operations.
Note: An air transport operation is a
regular public transport operation or a charter operation. The TSI
Regulations contain a more comprehensive definition for the term as
well as definitions for other terms used in the list of reportable
matters below. Refer to the ATSB website (
TSI ACT) for a complete copy of the TSI Act, TSI Regulations
and explanatory material.
2. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL AIRCRAFT
OPERATIONS
2.1 Immediately Reportable Matters
2.1.1 IRM for all aircraft operations
are:
a. subject to the exclusions in the note below,
the death of, or a serious injury to:
(i) a person on board the aircraft or in contact
with the aircraft, or anything attached to the aircraft, or
anything that has become detached from the aircraft; or
(ii) a person who has been directly exposed to jet
blast;
Note: The death of, or a serious
injury to, a person does not include:
a. death or serious injury resulting from natural
causes (except to a flight crew member); or
b. death or serious injury that is intentionally
self-inflicted; or
c. death or serious injury that is intentionally
caused by another person; or
d. death or serious injury suffered by a stowaway
in a part of the aircraft that is not usually accessible to
crewmembers or passengers after take-off; or
e. death occurring more than 30 days after the
occurrence that caused the death, unless the death was caused by an
injury that required admission to hospital within 30 days after the
occurrence.
b. the aircraft being missing;
c. the aircraft suffering serious damage, or the
existence of reasonable grounds for believing that the aircraft has
suffered serious damage;
d. the aircraft being inaccessible and the
existence of reasonable grounds for believing that the aircraft has
been seriously damaged;
e. breakdown of separation standards, being a
failure to maintain a recognised separation standard (vertical,
lateral or longitudinal) between aircraft that are being provided
with an air traffic service separation service.
Note: This may result from air traffic
service, pilot or other actions, and may occur even if only one (1)
of the aircraft involved is under control of an air traffic
service.
3. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL AIR TRANSPORT
OPERATIONS
3.1 Immediately Reportable Matters
3.1.1 IRM for all air transport operations
include:
a. airprox;
b. violation of controlled airspace;
c. a near-collision involving aircraft manoeuvring
on the ground;
d. an occurrence in which flight into terrain is
narrowly avoided;
e. the rejection of a take-off from a closed or
occupied runway;
f. a take-off from a closed or occupied runway
with marginal separation from an obstacle or obstacles;
g. a landing on a closed or occupied runway;
h. a significant failure to achieve predicted
performance during take-off or initial climb;
i. a fire (even if subsequently extinguished),
smoke, fumes or an explosion on, or in, any part of the
aircraft;
j. an uncontained engine failure;
k. a mechanical failure resulting in the shutdown
of an engine;
l. the use of any procedure for overcoming an
emergency;
m. an event requiring the use of oxygen by a
flight crewmember;
n. malfunction of an aircraft system that
seriously affects the operation of the aircraft;
o. a flight crew member becoming incapacitated
during flight;
p. fuel exhaustion;
q. the aircrafts supply of useable fuel becoming
so low (whether or not as a result of fuel starvation) that the
pilot declares an emergency in flight;
r. undershooting, over-running or running off the
side of a runway during take-off or landing, or any other similar
occurrence;
s. any of the following occurrences, if the
occurrence causes difficulty controlling the aircraft:
(i) a weather phenomenon; or
(ii) operation outside the aircrafts approved
envelope;
t. the failure of two (2) or more related
redundant systems for flight guidance and navigation; and
u. serious damage to, or destruction of, any
property outside the aircraft caused by contact with the aircraft
or anything that has become detached from the aircraft.
3.2 Routine Reportable Matters
3.2.1 RRM for all air transport operations
include:
a. an injury, other than a serious injury,
to:
(i) a person on board the aircraft or in contact
with the aircraft or anything attached to the aircraft or anything
that has become detached from the aircraft; or
(ii) a person who has been directly exposed to jet
blast;
b. the aircraft suffering damage that compromises,
or has the potential to compromise, the safety of the flight, but
is not serious damage;
c. flight below the minimum altitude, except in
accordance with a normal arrival or departure procedure;
d. a ground proximity warning system alert;
e. a critical rejected take-off, except on a
closed or occupied runway;
f. a runway incursion;
g. any of the following occurrences, if the
occurrence compromises, or has the potential to compromise, the
safety of the flight:
(i) a failure to achieve predicted performance
during take-off or initial climb;
(ii) malfunction of an aircraft system, if the
malfunction does not seriously affect the operation of the
aircraft;
Note: Aircraft systems include flight guidance
and navigation systems.
(iii) fuel starvation that does not require the
declaration of an emergency;
h. any of the following occurrences, if the
occurrence compromises or has the potential to compromise the
safety of the flight, but does not cause difficulty controlling the
aircraft:
(i) a weather phenomenon;
(ii) operation outside the aircrafts approved
flight envelope;
i. failure or inadequacy of a facility used in
connection with the air transport operation, such as:
(i) a navigation or communication aid; or
(ii) an air traffic control service or general
operational service; or
(iii) an airfield facility, including lighting or
a manoeuvring, taxiing or take-off surface;
j. misinterpretation by a flight crewmember of
information or instructions, including:
(i) the incorrect setting of a transponder code;
or
(ii) flight on a level or route different to the
level or route allocated for the flight; or
(iii) the incorrect receipt or interpretation of a
significant radio, telephone or electronic text message;
k. breakdown of coordination, being an occurrence
in which traffic related information flow within the air traffic
service system is late, incorrect, incomplete or absent;
l. failure of air traffic services to provide
adequate traffic information to a pilot in relation to other
aircraft;
Note: The information may have been
incomplete, incorrect,
late or absent.
m. a traffic collision avoidance system resolution
advisory being given to the pilot of the aircraft;
n. an occurrence arising from the loading or
carriage of passengers, cargo or fuel, such as:
(i) the loading of an incorrect quantity of fuel,
if the loading of the incorrect quantity is likely to have a
significant effect on aircraft endurance, performance, balance or
structural integrity; or
(ii) the loading of an incorrect type of fuel or
other essential fluid, or contaminated fuel or other essential
fluid; or
(iii) the incorrect loading of passengers, baggage
or cargo, if the incorrect loading has a significant effect on the
mass or balance of the aircraft; or
(iv) the carriage of dangerous goods in
contravention of Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation;
or
(v) the incorrect securing of cargo containers or
significant items of cargo; or
(vi) the incorrect stowage of baggage or cargo, if
the incorrect stowage is likely to cause a hazard to the aircraft
or its equipment or occupants, or to impede emergency evacuation;
or
(vii) a significant contamination of the aircraft
structure, systems or equipment, arising from the carriage of
baggage or cargo; or
(viii) the presence of a violent or armed
passenger;
o. a collision with an animal, including a
bird.
4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS
OTHER THAN AIR TRANSPORT OPERATIONS
4.1 Routine Reportable Matters
4.1.1 RRM for all aircraft other than air
transport operations include:
a. an injury, other than a serious injury, to a
person on board the aircraft;
b. a flight crewmember becoming incapacitated
while operating the aircraft;
c. airprox;
d. an occurrence in which flight into terrain is
narrowly avoided;
e. the use of any procedure for overcoming an
emergency;
f. an occurrence that results in difficulty
controlling the aircraft, including any of the following
occurrences:
(i) an aircraft system failure;
(ii) a weather phenomenon;
(iii) operation outside the aircrafts approved
flight envelope;
g. fuel exhaustion;
h. the aircrafts supply of useable fuel becoming
so low (whether or not as a result of fuel starvation) that the
safety of the aircraft is compromised;
i. a collision with an animal, including a bird,
on a licensed aerodrome.
5. WRITTEN REPORT
5.1 The written report required to be submitted
under Section 19 of the Act should preferably use the Air Safety
Accident or Incident Report (ASAIR) format. For a reportable matter
other than for a collision with an animal or bird, a requirement of
regulation 2.6 of the TSI Regulations is that the report should
contain as much of the following information as is within the
persons knowledge:
a. the name and contact details of the person
making the report;
b. the persons role in relation to the aircraft
concerned;
c. the type, model, nationality, registration
marks and flight number (if any) of the aircraft;
d. the name of the owner of the aircraft;
e. the name and contact details of the operator of
the aircraft;
f. if the aircraft was under hire when the
reportable matter occurred, the name of the hirer;
g. the name and nationality of the pilot, and the
type and licence number of the licence held by the pilot;
h. the name and nationality of each other flight
crew member (if any), and the type and licence number of the
licence held by each member;
i. the day and local time when the reportable
matter occurred;
j. if, when the reportable matter occurred, the
aircraft was in-flight:
(i) the place where the flight started; and
(ii) the place where the flight ended, or was
intended to end; and
(iii) the purpose of the flight;
k. unless the reportable matter occurred at an
airport, the location of the aircraft immediately after the
occurrence of the reportable matter, including the geographical
coordinates of that location;
l. the number of persons on board the aircraft
when the reportable matter occurred;
m. the nature of the reportable matter,
including:
(i) its outcome or effect on the flight of the
aircraft;
(ii) the phase of the aircrafts flight when the
matter occurred;
(iii) the weather conditions;
(iv) the airspace designation;
(v) the altitude at which the matter
occurred;
(vi) if the matter occurred at, or in relation to,
an airport, the name of the airport, and, if it occurred on, or in
relation to, a runway, the runway number;
(vii) if the matter involved a collision with an
animal, including a bird, the nature of the collision;
(viii) the causes of the occurrence (if known),
including any human performance issues;
(ix) any safety action carried out to prevent a
recurrence of the matter; and
(x) the nature and extent of any damage to the
aircraft;
n. the physical characteristics of the area where
the reportable matter occurred (eg, the terrain, vegetation cover,
and existence and location of any buildings, runways or
aerodromes);
o. the flight rules under which the aircraft was
operating at the time of the reportable matter;
p. the type of aircraft operation the aircraft was
engaged in at the time of the reportable matter;
q. if the matter resulted in a fatality or serious
injury, and the aircraft carried an emergency locator
transmitter:
(i) the manufacturer and model of the emergency
locator transmitter;
(ii) whether it was fixed or portable;
(iii) its location in the aircraft; and
(iv) whether it was activated;
r. if the aircrafts pilot has died:
(i) the pilots date of birth; and
(ii) the pilots total flying hours on all aircraft
and flying hours on the same type of aircraft;
s. if any crew members have died or been seriously
injured as a result of the reportable matter, how many, and their
names and nationalities;
t. if any passengers have died or been seriously
injured as a result of the reportable matter, how many, and their
names and nationalities; and
u. if any other persons have died or been
seriously injured as a result of the reportable matter, how many,
and their names and nationalities.
5.2 For a reportable matter that amounts to a
collision with an animal or bird only the report must contain as
much of the following information as is within the knowledge of the
person making the report:
a. the name and contact details of the person
making the report;
b. the day and local time when the reportable
matter occurred;
c. the nature of the reportable matter,
including:
(i) if the matter occurred at, or in relation to,
an airport, the name of the airport, and if it occurred on, or in
relation to, a runway, the runway number; and
(ii) the nature and extent of any damage to the
aircraft; and
d. any other information that the person making
the report considers appropriate.
5.3 The completed Air Safety Accident or
Incident Report (ASAIR), should be forwarded directly by mail,
facsimile, or the�
online form�to the ATSB central office in Canberra.
5.4 An ASAIR form may be obtained online
from�
Aviation Safety Accident or Incident Reporting��or by
contacting the ATSB on freecall phone number 1800 011 034 (primary
notification number) or 1800 020 616 (safety information number and
secondary notification number).