Accident Reporting
The Training Exemption of all three Ultralight Organization requires that
ultralight accidents be reported. Below is detailed information on how to
make a useful report.
Background information
Because of the need to more fully
investigate ultralight accidents, I used my training from the Army Aviation
Accident Investigation course and my experiences in investigating both Army and
ultralight accidents and developed the following pages of information.
Every accident should be investigated in sufficient detail to know what caused
it and what could prevent a recurrence. Otherwise, we will continue to make the
same mistakes over and over again. With no intent to embarrass or demean
anyone, we must then share the mistakes made with others so the entire community
improves in safety.
There are a large number of incidents/accidents discussed in ultralight circles
that have common causes. Knowing this, we as the community leaders should be
doing everything in our power to “break the chain” of events leading to crashes.
We automatically become the “expert” at the scene of an ultralight crash. We
must accept this and demonstrate our concern for the future of our sport by
taking charge and fully determining the causes of crashes and training and
educating to avoid them in the future.
Let’s all make a moral decision to do what we can to prevent accidents. That
will let each of us have more fun, and those in our community can continue to
have learn safely.
Thanks
Ralph McClurg
From Advisory Circular 103-6
CHAPTER 4. ACCIDENT INFORMATION AND OTHER SOURCES
40. NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD
(NTSB).
a. The NTSB is the official Government investigator for all transportation
safety issues. Its purpose is to impartially analyze occurrences which may
indicate a transportation safety problem and to recommend corrective action. The
NTSB has decided to investigate all fatal powered ultralight vehicle accidents
and other selected ultralight accidents and incidents which may involve
significant safety issues. The Safety Board will also investigate ultralight
vehicle accidents impinging on civil aircraft operations or on persons and
property on the ground. The Safety Board will review accident data and the
safety efforts of the aviation community in order to keep abreast of any
emerging safety problems and will be available to provide technical assistance
in remedying those problems.
IF YOU ARE WITNESS TO OR
INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT / ACCIDENT INVOLVING THE OPERATION OF AN
ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE, NTSB REQUESTS YOU DO THE FOLLOWING:
(1) Immediately attend to the medical and physical needs of the situation.
Notify the local authorities if assistance is needed.
(2) Do not move or remove any debris associated with the occurrence.
(3) Write down as much as you can remember. This will be very helpful in
accurately recalling the incident.
(4) Notify, or have the local authorities notify, the nearest NTSB Field
office. This information can be found in the local phonebook under U.S.
Government, National Transportation Safety Board, or call your local FAA office
and request the NTSB telephone number.
(5) If you are able, take photographs of the site, and get the names and
phone numbers of any witness.
b. NTSB requests that you be very helpful in reporting such incidents as this
will give all of the owners / operators of
ultralights a chance to benefit from the knowledge gained during the
investigation. The Safety Board investigation is fact finding in nature and will
not be used to substantiate any violation of Federal Aviation Regulations.
c. Additionally, the FAA supports the goals of private organizations and
associations to provide technical and operational assistance to the ultralight
industry in enhancing the reliability of the vehicles and the safety of the
sport. The FAA encourages all participants in the sport of ultralight flying to
report any incident, accident, structural or mechanical failure of an ultralight
to the private organizations and associations actively representing the sport.
PAGE 1
Ultralight Accident Procedures - Immediate
Call for and assist
crash-rescue efforts as needed
Notify police if there
will be a crowd
Secure the area
-protect the scene. Use police tape if possible. Keep spectators far enough away
to keep them from seeing blood and pain and details of the damage
Keep news crews at
least 50 yards away -don't let them sweet talk you
Keep people from
collecting souvenirs of the crash
Get witness' statements
-keep them apart while they are describing it
Photograph everything
-surroundings, flight path, impact areas, craft, damage to terrain, -use
digital, video, and 35mm plus Polaroid - take plenty
Make a drawing of the
scene with dimensions -show flight path, point of impact(s), and scattered
pieces
Get help from other
pilots to make sure you have the probable manner of crash
Collect evidence and
write a report as if you had to go to court and explain it-you may!
Write a report. The
intent of any investigation should be to find the cause of the crash and
recommend/implement methods of preventing another. Make the report detailed
enough to describe events before and during the flight, then why the flight
terminated in a crash
Re-interview witnesses
at 24 hours, 7 days, 30 days – memories may change and they may recall something
later that they did not right after the crash
Page 2
INFORMATION TO GATHER AFTER A PPC ACCIDENT
Pilot
Information:
Name; Age; Gender; Height; Weight; Total logged hours in PPC;
total PIC hours in ANY aircraft; Total PIC flying hours in a powered parachute
(PPC); Total flying hours in THIS PPC; Total flying time for the day of the
accident; Was the pilot wearing {please describe type): a helmet, a flight suit,
gloves, glasses, goggles, etc.
Passenger/student
Information:
Name; Age; Gender; Height; Weight; Total pilot-in-command (PIC)
flying hours in ANY aircraft; Total PIC flying hours in a powered parachute
(PPC); Total flying hours in THIS PPC; Total flying time for the day of the
accident; Was the passenger wearing (please describe type): a helmet, a flight
suit, gloves, glasses, goggles, etc.
Aircraft
Condition Prior to Accident:
Make, model and serial numbers of the PPC craft and of the wing
(parachute); Date of manufacture for the PPC and of the wing (parachute); PPC
craft and wing colors; Any installed factory options; Any owner installed
options (including pilot/passenger communication systems); Approximate number of
hours on the craft, engine, and wing; Has this craft, engine and/or wing been
involved in another incident/accident (if so, describe); Inspectors best
estimate of condition prior to incident/accident (excellent, very good, good,
poor, very poor)
Field
Conditions:
Field elevation; Type of runway(s) -(open field, dirt, grass,
paved, etc.); Length of runway(s); Direction of runway(s); Number and location
of wind socks; Obstructions (fences, trees, roads, buildings, etc.); General
description of the terrain
Weather
Conditions at the Time of the Accident:
Temperature; Humidity; Barometric pressure; Wind velocity and
direction; Type of sky (clear, partly cloudy, etc.) Landing/impact Site
Conditions: Terrain; Vegetation; Obstacles (buildings, roads, Power lines,
water, etc.)
Reports:
Pilot -Detailed report
Passenger -Detailed report
Eyewitnesses (be sure to get each eyewitnesses Name,
Age, Flying experience)
Relation to pilot and passenger; Viewpoint of
incident/accident; How much of the
Incident/accident did they observe; Their description of
the incident/accident from pre-flight to landing/impact; Their description of
the weather conditions. Their description of the events leading to the
incident/accident {party, just passing by, invited out, etc.)
Forms:
Were any forms signed? If so, where are they?
Page 3
INFORMATION TO GATHER AFTER A PPC ACCIDENT (continued)
Photographs
and/or Video of:
Recent flight(s); The incident/accident; The vehicle before and
after the incident/accident; The landing/impact site including many angles of
the vehicle and wing.
Incident Summary:
Take-off time; Take-off direction; Take-off gross weight;
Take-off roll to rotation distance; Compiled description of flight from take-off
to landing/impact.
Injuries Summary:
List any injuries suffered by pilot and/or passenger.
Vehicle
Damage Summary:
List major damage (major damage is any part or component that is
no longer airworthy)
Probable
Cause of Accident:
This is the inspector’s best determination as to probable cause
of incident/accident.
How Could This
Accident Have Been Prevented?
This is the inspector’s best determination as how this
incident/accident could have been prevented.
Notes:
Don’t be surprised if witness accounts vary widely –
they almost always do. Separating witnesses so they don’t hear each other’s
accounts really helps.
You are probably the expert at the scene. It is
unlikely that anyone will have more expertise at the sport than you do.
Call the NTSB if there are serious injuries or death.
They have experience and insights that no one else has. Note: Flight Service
(1-800-WXB-RIEF) can give you the number to call.
Don’t jump to conclusions too early. Continue to
investigate until you have all of the facts and data that are available.
It may be necessary to ask some very personal questions
while the family is struggling with serious injuries or death of a loved one.
Share in their grief or trauma. Be compassionate and kind – let them know that
you are not being punitive. Make sure they understand that the investigation is
to prevent repeat occurrences.
Someone must report the accident to the exempting
agency. A phone call that the accident has happened should be made to them
immediately if there is a serious injury or fatality. They may want to send
someone to investigate independently. An effort should also be made to notify
the manufacturer of the vehicle.