IATA CALLS FOR GREATER ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION COMPLIANCE
November 30, 2023
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is looking to improve the compliance and quality of accident reporting worldwide amid a concerning slump. While safety standards across the industry have improved considerably over the last decade, IATA reports that accident reporting has gotten worse over the years. IATA’s latest figures show that, out of 242 accidents reported between 2018 and 2023, only 113 (47%) resulted in a final report. Under ICAO’s Annex 13, accident investigators must submit a preliminary report within 30 days, before submitting a more detailed final report within 12 months. While it is not always possible to compile a final report within this timeframe, just 39 of the 113 final reports prepared during this timeframe were delivered within 12 months. With many regions lacking the resources and training to investigate accidents to a high level, IATA is keen to enhance training standards and ensure states have enough resources. IATA also suggested the idea of pooling resources in some regions – with only around 40% of countries worldwide possessing independent accident investigators, establishing regional investigation agencies could raise standards considerably.
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