Accident Scene: Protection/Investigation

You have the responsibility to safeguard the accident scene if your aircraft is involved. That responsibility continues until local authorities or the NTSB assume it. Even after the assumption of responsibility by other authorities, you must cooperate in the continuance of the control and protection of the site. Knowing what to do and developing your response is an important part of your plan. The Global Aerospace team can discuss requirements and strategies.

Fire and police responders will normally arrive at the scene of an aviation accident within minutes. Simply by their presence they assume responsibility for the site. They maintain that responsibility until they turn it over to the NTSB or other authority. In some cases, especially if the accident aircraft poses no further threat to property of persons, fire and police personnel may depart and leave the scene unprotected. It becomes your responsibility to guard your aircraft and the property of others from additional damage. You might even have to post security personnel or protect the wreckage from inclement weather. This can be costly and complicated.

Most aviation insurance policies provide coverage for the expenses relating to protecting an accident site. But, the responsibility remains yours. The Global Aerospace claims specialists have specific and significant scene security expertise. The sooner they are notified- the sooner they can assist.

The relationships between the participating agencies and the responsibilities of those agencies (fire, police, airport, NTSB, FAA) can be complex. For example: sometimes the FAA is empowered by the NTSB to act outside the scope of regulatory enforcement. It is important to know what “hat” the participants are wearing. It is important to be clear about what responsibilities are being assumed in the post accident response. Your plan should provide clear guidance for your teams.

Your Global Aerospace team is standing by to assist. Don’t hesitate to contact us.