Every Crashed Plane Has Its Own Story Essay Example

materials and exotic metals to enhance aircraft body strength and reduce weight. Currently, the most common composites used are boron, graphite, and Kevlar. Each material has distinct properties that require careful handling. While Kevlar remains stable in its final form, caution is necessary when dealing with damaged boron and graphite structures to avoid inhaling dust particles.

Boron fibers have the ability to penetrate the skin and remain embedded for an indefinite period of time, leading to difficult removal and potentially causing severe infections.

There are funding issues related to in-house support. The host base is responsible for funding all support services, except for billeting, even when it is not assigned to the convening authority's MAJCOM. In-house support includes tasks such as administrative assistance, providing equipment, work areas, reproduction services, and graphics.

The MAJCOM or ANG command that owns the aircraft involved in an accident is accountable for all expenses related to cleaning up and restoring the crash site.

(USAF, 1998) Steps The following are a summarized version of the steps provided to the president of the accident board to assist in organizing and effectively utilizing the various resources available to the military accident board. These steps include elements from both AFI 51-503 and AFP 127-1.
1. Prioritize organization before rushing to the crash site.
a. Determine the actions taken at the crash site.
b.

The base that owns the aircraft should be consulted to determine the required support. They have the best understanding of the airframe. Additionally, it is important to familiarize oneself with the board members to gauge their capabilities and determine how to effectively utilize them.

a. If there is a sharp officer or NCO that

you would like to be considered for the board, please request their involvement. b. Make sure to secure any voice recordings, videotapes, and films related to the accident and be ready to provide copies upon request.

3. When working with the interim board members, make sure to obtain any evidence they have collected, as they may risk losing it when they return to their regular jobs.

b. Request a list of interim board members along with their work/home phone numbers.

c. Inquire about the unit mishap response plan and any glitches discovered through discussion with the safety office.

d. It is important to have a face-to-face hand-off in order to exchange information and investigative authority positively. e. The interim board should evaluate what has been achieved and determine the next step.

Only request technical assistance/airlift support if necessary. All requests should be made through the Air Force Safety Center (AFSC) mishap board member. You should explain your immediate needs to the AFSC mishap board member and they will coordinate all technical assistance with AFSC. The decision of who to provide support will be made by AFSC. If you require contractor support specifically, make sure to mention this in your request for technical support.

It is important to remember to request contractor support early if you anticipate needing it. Contractors are most useful during the initial stages of an investigation rather than later on (USAF 1987). ACC/SEF will provide assistance for underwater salvage support and will get in touch with the US Navy Supervisor of Salvage.

If needed, individuals can contact the Navy Command Ops. Center directly. It is important to remain patient during this procedure as it will take several days

to move ships to the location and locate the wreckage. In the meantime, it is crucial to continue the investigation with witness statements, profile reconstruction, and other necessary steps. 6. Confidential information.

Witnesses, advisors, and journalists or transcriptionists must undergo proper clearance before being granted access to classified information (USAF 1998). 7. If you have reason to believe that a military witness has committed a criminal offense before questioning them, a rights advisory must be given prior to any interrogation. If, at any point during an interview, you begin to suspect a military witness of a criminal offense, a rights advisory must be given before any further questioning.

When examining a crash or crew ejection, start by reviewing the Supervision, Training, and Procedures (STP) associated with the incident. It is essential to efficiently complete the report, but it is also important to take a break before brainstorming the findings, causes, and recommendations. Prolonged immersion in the problem can make objectivity difficult to maintain. Additionally, ensure that any "For Official Use Only" markings are removed from documents included in the Accident Investigation Board (AIB) Report.

Before removing the markings, ensure that the document is appropriate for public release. The authority to remove these markings lies with the SIB president. Prior to making the AIB Report available to the public, it is necessary to give a summary of investigation findings to both the next of kin (NOK) of deceased individuals and those who suffered serious injuries. Usually, the role of briefing officer for NOK is carried out by the AIB president.

The United States Air Force has established a system to assist those who respond to aircraft accidents and mishaps due

to their complexity and immense chaos. Currently, two boards are convened immediately following an accident in the Air Force: an Accident Investigation Board (AIB) and a Safety Investigation Board (SIB). The AIB addresses the cause of the accident while the SIB deals with legal matters that arise as a result. If multiple briefings are necessary, additional officers are chosen by the convening authority to ensure that Next of Kin (NOK) receive simultaneous briefings. After briefing NOKs but before making it public, congressional members can request a copy of the Report along with a briefing.

The AIB and the other board serve distinct functions, but both have equally important missions. The AIB's purpose is to create a report that is accessible to the public and contains information about the accident's details and circumstances. Additionally, this report should include an opinion on the accident's cause. The AIB is responsible for collecting and safeguarding evidence for various purposes, such as claims, legal actions, disciplinary measures, adverse administrative actions, and any other necessary purposes. AIB reports are utilized for various reasons, including:

Brief next of kin of crewmembers, military personnel, and civilians killed in the accident or seriously injured and inform the public, media, and Congress upon request.

4. Inform other relevant government agencies about the incident, 5. Provide the Air Force with an assessment of claims related to wrongful death, personal injury, and property damage resulting from the incident, 6. Aid the Air Force in deciding whether punitive or administrative actions should be taken against those responsible for negligence or misconduct that played a part in the accident.

The Accident Investigation Board (AIB) focuses on the legal matters and investigation of accidents,

aiming to determine causes and address related legal concerns. In contrast, the Safety Investigation Board (SIB) aims to prevent mishaps rather than assigning blame or punishment. SIB conducts safety investigations to identify accident causes and implement preventive measures. Unlike AIB, SIB prioritizes prevention over time considerations when reaching conclusions.

The main distinction between an AIB and a SIB lies in the confidentiality provided to witnesses. Once confidentiality is granted, the information becomes privileged and must not be shared outside of the secured channels or used for any disciplinary actions, liabilities, evaluations, or similar purposes (AFI 51-503, 1998). The SIB has the responsibility to create a two-part report. The first part should include non-privileged information, while the second part should encompass confidential statements from witnesses and contractors, along with the SIB's findings, deliberations, and recommendations.

Again, part two of the information provided is classified and should only be used for prevention and safety purposes. (AFI 51-503,1998) Now that I have described the two types of boards convened for aircraft accidents and mishaps and highlighted their main differences, let us now delve into the AIBS and its investigation process. After an accident occurs, the AIB president must reach out to the host base liaison officer to arrange for work areas, equipment, and administrative support. It is crucial that the designated area is both convenient and comfortable for the AIB and the witnesses. Once these arrangements are made, the AIB president should then get in touch with the SIB president and 1.

Determine the status of search and rescue, recovery of remains, and salvage operations, and coordinate a trip to the accident or mishap location before the wreckage is removed. Assess

the status of the safety investigation and decide how to proceed with the AIB.

4. Review Part I of the safety report to determine if further tests are necessary in areas such as metallurgy and forensics. 5. Collect all other non-privileged documents compiled by the SIB. 6. Request a list of witnesses identified by the SIB.

After collecting all the data and evidence, the advisors are called upon to review and evaluate the information. They also provide assistance in writing the report. For example, a maintenance advisor examines maintenance records, documentation, personnel and supervision, while a medical advisor assesses medical qualifications.

Postmortem and toxicology reports, which are obtained from the SIB flight surgeon, as well as post-accident medical examination records of survivors and autopsy protocols and medical records, must all be taken into consideration.

Furthermore, it is important to involve an aerodynamics advisor who can thoroughly assess and analyze the evidence related to the airframe and flight parameters. Additionally, a life support advisor should scrutinize the egress system as well as personal and survival gear. Lastly, including a pilot advisor will provide valuable insights into the actions that a pilot may have taken or should have taken. Once all the data and evidence have been carefully evaluated, the AIB report can be prepared.

The AIB report should contain factual information, which includes documentary and testimonial evidence as well as photographs, but it should not include recommendations according to AFI 51-503. After discussing the accident investigation process of AIB, let's now examine how SIB conducts their investigations. Once a SIB president is appointed and a membership is assigned, the board members are able to go to the scene and search for

clues and evidence. When at the scene, investigators can start by searching any electronically stored data, such as flight data recorders (FDR), cockpit voice recorders (CVR), nonvolatile memory chips on circuit cards from engine controls, programmable navigation equipment, and other avionics equipment.

Once located, the Mishap Analysis and Animation Facility (MAAF) at AFSC should receive the findings. MAAF serves as the primary Air Force entity for recovering, transcribing, and analyzing Flight Data Recorder (FDR) data to aid in Air Force safety investigations. Any data derived from confidential safety information or board discussions cannot be released. The next crucial evidence to gather is the accounts of witnesses. Typically, physical and documented evidence holds more credibility.

However, witness accounts are frequently valuable leads. A witness can be any individual involved in the mishap, anyone who witnessed the accident, and individuals with expertise and qualifications in the relevant field. A witness may provide both privileged and non-privileged statements, and it is the responsibility of the investigator or SIB president to decide when and if to offer confidentiality. The decision to offer confidentiality depends on the category of the mishap and the necessity of protecting the witness statement. Additionally, human factors evidence plays a crucial role in safety investigations.

This includes evidence of mental and physical capability and medical opinions on individuals' ability to resume their duties. When searching for human factors evidence and wreckage evidence, it is crucial to properly and accurately document everything. Photographs and videos are valuable assets as they can preserve perishable evidence. As an investigator, it is recommended to take extensive photographs, but be cautious and selective when including them in the report.

According to AFI 91-204 (1999),

the investigations conducted by both boards are very similar in their approach. The main difference lies in how the information collected from the accident scene is utilized. The AIB aims to resolve the legal aspects of an accident, whereas the SIB focuses on ensuring that the accident is not without purpose and that we can learn from it to prevent future incidents and enhance aviation safety. The investigation and reporting of missile mishaps also follow similar methods and regulations as with any other aviation accident. However, the military sets itself apart from other investigative branches by its involvement with ordinance, particularly missiles.

This section will discuss missile mishap reporting/investigation. A missile is defined as systems that are propelled through the air, unmanned, guided by internal or external systems, self-propelled, and designed to deliver ordnance to a target or act as a target. This includes training missiles and sub-scale remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs). A mishap is defined as an unplanned or unsought event, or series of events, resulting in death, injury, occupational illness, or damage to, or loss of, equipment or property.

According to AFI 91-204 (1999), missile mishaps can occur during ground operations, including use, maintenance, handling, transportation, and storage. The first and most important step in categorizing a mishap is determining whether it is related to missiles. This can be done by asking initial questions to lead to a defined missile mishap or another type of mishap. Missile mishaps specifically involve missiles and occur during ground operations, use, handling, transportation, or storage. In the case of mishaps that occur after launch and are caused by a missile system malfunction, they will be investigated as

Aircraft Flight Mishaps with missile involvement. However, if a missile fails to hit its target due to warhead (explosive) malfunction, this will be reported as an Explosive/Missile Mishap.

All other impacts outside the specified range are classified as Aircraft Flight/Aircraft Flight Related (Explosives/Missile Involvement) mishaps. Incidents related to ground-launched missiles are also included in the category of missile mishaps. However, while investigating ground-launched missiles, any accidents involving the equipment supporting the missile must be reported as missile mishaps. Mishaps occurring prior to launch or during flight that result in damage caused by live or captive missiles or explosives are categorized as Aircraft Flight (Explosives/Missile Involvement) mishaps. Mishaps involving missiles damaged by external explosives are reported as Explosives (Missile Involvement) mishaps.

(AFI 91-204,1999) Rocket Related: Mishaps during aging and surveillance test firing of rocket motors are only considered mishaps if collateral damage occurs to items other than the rocket motor. (AFI 91-204,1999) Mishap Classification: When reporting on a missile mishap, it is crucial to classify it according to a specific criterion. This involves assessing the cost and damage caused by the mishap and comparing it to established criteria to determine the class of the mishap (a-d). The criteria provided below, quoted from AFI 91-204, are used for this purpose:

• Estimating Cost of Mishap: If a non-recoverable missile fails, resulting in damage that prevents the intended mission objectives, report the acquisition cost of the launch vehicle and the acquisition cost of the payload.
• Missile Support Equipment: Calculate the full cost of repair or replacement of the property for MSE damage, excluding normal launches residual damage.

Pre-launch Damage: Calculate the total cost of damage incurred by

ground-launched missiles prior to launch, including damage during transportation and storage. This cost will cover the replacement or repair of the missile and will include the cost of labor and materials for the repair.
Drop Criteria: If a missile or any of its components are dropped from a distance that exceeds the predetermined drop criteria in the technical order, estimate the cost of the mishap at 15 percent of the item's replacement cost as listed in the current stock catalog. After determining the initial class of mishap, only upgrade or downgrade the class if the actual cost can be determined. This adjustment can be made after the final evaluation is completed.
Parachute-recovered Missiles: Take into account the repair costs or loss incurred due to abnormal events or excessive damage during the recovery of missiles using parachutes.

Abnormal events, such as torn parachutes, late recovery initiation, failed blossoming or release of a parachute, high winds, and others, can occur. Excessive damage may include buckling of the main fuselage, fire upon impact, destruction of the payload section, and more. It is important to note that the cost of foreseeable damage caused by surface impact during a typical recovery process of parachute-recovered missiles is considered an operational expense and should not be included in the report. Additionally, the cost of recovery should not be included, as it is usually a mission objective for recoverable missiles. The Classification Criteria for a Class A Mishap involve reportable damage amounting to $1,000,000 or more.

According to AFI 91-204,1999, a Class A Mishap refers to a mishap with a fatality or permanent total disability. A Class B Mishap refers to a mishap with reportable

damage between $200,000 and $1,000,000, a permanent partial disability, or inpatient hospitalization of three or more personnel. Lastly, a Class C Mishap refers to a mishap with reportable damage between $10,000 and $200,000.

According to the regulations stated in AFI 91-204, 1999, a lost workday case involves an injury that results in 8 or more hours away from work after the day it occurred or the shift it occurred on. It also includes occupational illness that causes any amount of time away from work. For military personnel, the day of injury and the day they return to duty should not be counted, as well as days when they were not scheduled to work. Class D Mishaps, which only apply to air-launched missiles, are mishaps that result in property damage costing $2,000 or more but less than $10,000.

Property damage encompasses government equipment, vehicles, or munitions. This is defined by AFI 91-204 (1999). Furthermore, nonfatal injuries that do not meet the qualifications for a Class C and result in less than eight hours of lost time (excluding military lost work hour cases) are also considered property damage. HAP Events consist of significant occurrences involving aircraft, missile, space, explosives, miscellaneous air operations, or ground operations which have a high potential to cause injury, occupational illness, or damage if they were to reoccur. It is important to note that these events are not associated with reportable mishap costs.

If the event satisfies the criteria for a reportable mishap, do not classify it as a HAP. Avoid using the HAP classification when referring to various types of mishaps. Find more information in Aviation Essays.