The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) this week announced new accident and incident reporting regulations based on four categories of operation.
The amendments to the Transport Safety Investigation (TSI) Regulations are due to come into force on 1 January 2023, and establish a scale of requirements from high-capacity RPT down to uncrewed balloons.
"For aviation there are two key changes being introduced in the amended regulations – the creation of four categories of aircraft operations, each with different reporting requirements, and new requirements for sport aviation bodies to report accidents and incidents to the ATSB,” explained ATSB Chief Commissioner Mitchell.
“Higher categories, in particular passenger-carrying and commercial operations, will have a greater reporting focus due to the greater public safety benefit that could be derived.
“Non-commercial aircraft operations and uncrewed RPA and balloons will have lower reporting requirements.”
The four new categories are:
- Category A – Passenger Transport
- Category B – Commercial, non-passenger including large remotely-piloted aircraft (RPA) and training
- Category C – Non-commercial aircraft operations, including private GA
- Category D – Small, non-excluded RPA including certain uncrewed balloons.
The new regulations define incidents and accidents as either "immediately reportable" or "routine reportable" based on the category into which the incident or accident falls.
"Immediately reportable" means as soon a practicable by phone. "Routine reportable" means a written report within 72 hours.
“Changes to the regulations ensure immediately reportable matters are those more likely to be considered for investigation by the ATSB, while reducing the reporting requirements on industry for those matters the ATSB is less likely to consider for investigation,” Mitchell said.
Among the changes is a switch from a prescriptive list of accidents and incidents that need to be reported to a broader definition of reportable occurrences.
According to the ATSB, the new regulations follow an extensive consultation period in January-March this year, which has been described as "largely positive" and has helped to frame the new regulations.
"Nonetheless we do recognise the aviation industry has been through a period of considerable change and disruption in recent years and do stress that our approach to implementing these amended regulations is focusing on education and encouraging better reporting practices over an extended period, with less emphasis placed on compliance particularly for industry participants who may not be fully across the new requirements,” Mitchell said.
More information on the new reporting requirements is on the ATSB website.