Accidents Aircraft Investigation Each mishap has their own characteristics and there is no substitute for good old-fashioned common sense and initiative. Each wrecked aircraft has its own story to tell if properly investigated. However Air Force guidelines are quick to point out that investigators in their eagerness seek out the causes, often ignore safe investigation practices and common safety precautions. Air Force Investigators are maybe in even more difficult position due to the hazards that are unique to the military war fighting machines, Ill discuss a few of these hazards briefly before I get into the steps of Air Force accident investigations.
Munitions Extreme care must be given to the munitions that may have been on board the aircraft. Just because the ammunition appears to be damaged beyond being dangerous the slightest amount of static electricity from clothing may detonate munitions. Before starting an investigation of any kind, obtain the list of munitions aboard and have the explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) team remove or inert them. Again eagerness must be controlled and situational awareness must be exercised to be on the lookout for those munitions that may not have been recovered.
Also, though tedious, the locations of all munitions need to be noted, as they will hold clues as well. The ejection seats can also present extreme dangers to untrained and careless investigator. Toxins Hydrazine. Its a word that strikes fear in all that are familiar with it. New generation aircraft such as the F-16 use hydrazine for emergency power supplies. It looks like a clear oily substance that smells like ammonia.
Some of the effects hydrazine can have on the human body include: liver damage, blindness, skin burns, and prolong exposure may be fatal. Only base bioenvironmental engineers are qualified enough to properly handle it. Materials Also somewhat unique but is gradually finding its way into the commercial side of aviation is the use of high composite materials along with exotic metals used in the effort to not only strengthen, but to lighten the overall weight of the airframe. The composites used with most frequency today are boron, graphite and Kevlar. Each of these materials has their own characteristics and must be handled with care.
While in its finished form Kevlar is very stable, boron and graphite must be handled with extreme care to avoid breathing in dust created when the structures become damaged. Boron fibers can pierce through skin and stay imbedded indefinitely and cannot be removed easily causing severe infections. Funding Issues The host base funds all in-house support (except billeting) even if the host base is not assigned to the convening authoritys MAJCOM. In-house support includes administrative support and equipment, work areas, reproduction, and graphics. The MAJCOM or ANG command that possesses the mishap aircraft is responsible for all costs associated with the crash site clean up and restoration. (USAF, 1998) Steps The following are a condensed version of the steps given to the accident board president to help guide them through the process of getting organized and to better use some the broad assets available to the military accident board president, the steps comprise parts of both AFI 51-503 and AFP 127-1.
1. Get organized before running to the smoking hole. a. Find out what was done at the crash site. b.
Determine the support needed from the base that owns the aircraft. They will be best informed of the nature of the airframe. 2. Get to know your board members so youll have an idea of their capabilities and how you can best use them. a.
If you know a sharp officer or NCO that you would like on the board, ask for them. b. Secure any voice recordings, videotapes and films pertinent to the mishap and be prepared to send copies when requested. 3.
Working with the interim board members: a. Secure evidence they captured. They might lose it when they go back to their jobs. b.
Have them provide a list of interim board members with their work/home phone numbers. c. Request they discuss with their safety office any glitches they discovered in the unit mishap response plan. d. Ensure a face-to-face hand-off takes place for a positive exchange of information and investigative authority.
e. Assess exactly what was accomplished, and what the interim board feels is the next step. 4. Technical assistance/airlift support: a.
Request it only if you need it. b. All requests should be made through the Air Force Safety Center (AFSC) mishap board member. Explain your immediate needs to the AFSC mishap board member; they will coordinate all technical assistance with AFSC. Let AFSC decide who? However, if you specifically need contractor support, you must specify this in your request for technical support.
Remember, if you think you are going to need contractor support, request it early. They are much more helpful in the early stages of an investigation than in the latter stages. (USAF 1987) 5. Underwater Salvage Support. ACC/SEF will assist in this effort.
They will contact US Navy Supervisor of Salvage. If necessary, they may direct contact with the Navy Command Ops. Center. Be patient during this process–moving ships on site and locating the wreckage will take days. While this is happening, keep the investigation on track with witness statements, profile reconstruction, etc. 6.
Classified Information. Witnesses, advisors, and reporters or stenographers must be properly cleared before they are given access to classified information. (USAF 1998) 7. If prior to questioning you suspect a military witness of a criminal offense, then a rights advisement must proceed any questioning. If, at any time during an interview, you come to suspect a military witness of a criminal offense, then a rights advisement must precede any further questioning. Once you have a reasonable idea what made it crash, or why the crew ejected, go for the basics.
Start with the STP approach: check Supervision, Training and Procedures. Understandably you are under pressure to complete your report; but when it gets down to brainstorming your findings, causes, and recommendations, take a break even if for half a day. You will be so close to this problem for the next 20-30 days that sometimes it may be difficult to maintain objectivity. Accident Investigation Board Report Remove For Official Use Only markings from all documents that are included in the AIB Report.
Before removing the markings, ensure the document is publicly releasable. The SIB president can authorize removal of such markings. Prior to public release of the AIB Report, brief the results of the investigation to the NOK of deceased persons and to seriously injured personnel. Usually the AIB president serves as a NOK briefing officer. If multiple briefings are required, then the convening authority selects additional briefing officers to ensure the NOK are simultaneously briefed.
Following the NOK briefings, but before public release, provide a copy of the Report and a briefing to congressional members, if requested. (USAF, 1998) Accident Investigation Boards and Safety Investigation Boards Due to the complexity and immense chaos that follows aircraft accidents and mishaps, the United States Air Force has developed a system to help and guide those who respond to the scene of an accident. In todays Air Force, immediately after an accident two different boards are convene in order to address the cause of the accident and the legal matters that follow an accident. These two boards are an Accident Investigation Board (AIB) and a Safety Investigation Board (SIB). The purpose and function of these two boards is very different from one another but each boards mission is equally important.
The purpose of an AIB is to provide a publicly releasable report of the facts and circumstances that surround an accident and it should also include a statement of opinion on the cause of the accident. The AIB is in charge of gathering and preserving evidence for claims, litigation, disciplinary, and adverse administrative actions as well as for all other purposes. When reports are made by an AIB they are used to: 1. Brief next of kin of crewmembers, military personnel and civilians killed in the accident or seriously injured.
2. Inform the public and media 3. Inform Congress upon request. 4. Inform other interested government agencies 5.
Provide the Air Force with adjudication of wrongful death, personal injury, and property damage claims resulting from the accident. 6. Help the Air Force determine if any punitive or administrative action should be taken against those whose negligence or misconduct contributed to the accident. As we can see AIB deals mostly with the legal matters on hand after an accident and its investigation is aim to achieve that goal. On the other hand Safety Investigation Boards purpose is totally different.
The purpose of a SIB is not to blame or punish individuals but instead it is to prevent mishaps. Safety investigations are performed to determine the causes of accidents and to prevent future ones. Since SIB main focus is on prevention, time requirements for conclusions are not as important. Also a big difference between an AIB and a SIB is that confidentiality may be given to witnesses and this information then becomes privileged and it is not to leave the safety channels nor be used in disciplinary actions, liabilities, evaluations or anything else along those lines.
(AFI 51-503,1998) The SIB is required to produce a two-part report. Part one should contain non-privileged information. Part two should contain confidential witness and contractor statements as well as the SIB findings, deliberations, and recommendations. Again part two is privileged information and only to be used for prevention and safety purposes.
(AFI 51-503,1998) Now that I have explained the two types of boards that are convene for aircraft accidents and mishaps and showed the main differences between the two, lets proceed to talk in depth about AIBS and how they conduct investigations. Once an accident has occurred the AIB president should contact the host base liaison officer to request work areas, equipment and administrative support. It is important that the area assigned is convenient and comfortable for both the AIB and the witnesses. Once settled the AIB president should contact the SIB president and 1.
Determine the status of search and rescue, recovery of remains, and salvage operations. 2. Coordinate a trip to the accident or mishap location before the wreckage is removed. 3.
Assess the status of the safety investigation and decide how to proceed with the AIB. 4. Acquire Part I of the safety report and evaluate whether additional test should be done in things l …
