The Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 1996

Duty to furnish information relating to accidents and incidents

5.—(1) Where an accident or a serious incident occurs in respect of which, by virtue of regulation 8(3) below the Chief Inspector is required to carry out, or to cause an Inspector to carry out, an investigation, the relevant person and, in the case of an accident or a serious incident occurring on or adjacent to an aerodrome, the aerodrome authority shall forthwith give notice thereof to the Chief Inspector by the quickest means of communication available and, in the case of an accident occurring in or over the United Kingdom, shall also notify forthwith a police officer for the area where the accident occurred of the accident and of the place where it occurred.

(2) In this regulation the expression “relevant person” means—

(a) in the case of an accident or serious incident occurring in or over the United Kingdom or occurring elsewhere to an aircraft registered in the United Kingdom, the commander of the aircraft involved at the time of the accident or serious incident or, if he be killed or incapacitated, the operator of the aircraft; and

(b) in the case of a serious incident occurring in or over any country or territory other than a member State or a Contracting State to an aircraft registered elsewhere than in the United Kingdom but operated by an undertaking established in the United Kingdom, that undertaking.

(3) The notice to the Chief Inspector referred to in paragraph (1) above shall contain as much of the following information as is available—

(a) in the case of an accident, the identifying abbreviation “ACCID” or, in the case of a serious incident, the identifying abbreviation “INCID”;

(b) the type, model and the nationality and registration marks of the aircraft;

(c) the name of the owner, operator and hirer (if any) of the aircraft;

(d) the name of the commander of the aircraft;

(e) the date and Co-ordinated Universal Time of the accident or serious incident;

(f) the last point of departure and the next point of intended landing of the aircraft;

(g) the position of the aircraft by reference to some easily defined geographical point and latitude and longitude;

(h) the number of—

(i) crew on board the aircraft at the time of the accident or serious incident and, in the case of an accident, the number of them killed or seriously injured as a result of the accident;

(ii) passengers on board the aircraft at the time of the accident or serious incident and, in the case of an accident, the number of them killed or seriously injured as a result of the accident;

(iii) in the case of an accident, other persons killed or seriously injured as a result of the accident;

(i) the nature of the accident or serious incident and the extent of the damage to the aircraft as far as is known.

(4) Where an incident, other than a serious incident, takes place—

(a) in or over the United Kingdom; or

(b) otherwise than in or over the United Kingdom to an aircraft registered in the United Kingdom;

the owner, operator, commander or hirer of the aircraft shall, if so required by notice given to him by the Chief Inspector, send to the Chief Inspector such information as is in his possession or control with respect to the incident in such form and at such times as may be specified in the notice.