News: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released a preliminary report of the deadly Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad.
About Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)
- It is India’s official agency responsible for investigating civil aviation accidents and serious incidents.
- It operates under the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and functions independently from regulatory bodies to ensure unbiased, evidence-based investigations in line with international standards.
- Legal basis
- Aircraft Act, 1934 (Section 7): The Act empowers the government to make rules for investigating aircraft accidents.
- Until 2012, the Air Safety Directorate of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (under the aviation ministry) investigated accidents and safety-related incidents.
- Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2012 (amended in 2017 and 2021): The Rules formalize AAIB’s mandate, powers, and procedures.
- International alignment: The body functions in accordance with Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention (International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO), which sets global standards for aircraft accident investigations.
- Aircraft Act, 1934 (Section 7): The Act empowers the government to make rules for investigating aircraft accidents.
- Functions
- Categorization of “occurrences”: It classifies ‘Safety Occurrences’ involving aircraft operating in the Indian airspace into the categories of Accidents, Serious Incidents and Incidents.
- Investigation: It investigates all accidents and serious incidents involving aircraft with All Up Weight (the total weight of an aircraft with passengers and cargo) of more than 2,250 kg, as well as Turbojet aircraft.
- Objective: The sole objective of the investigations carried out by AAIB is the prevention of accidents and incidents and not to apportion blame or liability.
- Evidence collection: It deputes one or more Investigators to reach the site and gather evidence soon after it receives notice of the incident.
- The aim is to gather and preserve perishable evidence, including the samples of the wreckage and retrieving the black boxes, and so on.
- Report: It publishes the report after completion of Investigation and acceptance of the same by the Director General, AAIB, on its website.
- The accepted Reports are also forwarded to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the States participating in the investigation.
- It also conducts safety studies from time to time.
- It also facilitates the investigation and administrative work of Court or Assessors appointed by the Central Government as per Rule 12 of Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017.
