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Air Safety Investigation Training – Method and Regulations (ICAO Annex 13)

For safety managers, internal investigators and quality managers: conduct a safety investigation after an accident, a serious incident or an occurrence, from evidence collection to safety recommendations, under ICAO Annex 13 and Regulations (EU) No 996/2010 and No 376/2014.

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Course sheet

Air Safety Investigation – course sheet

When an accident, a serious incident or a safety occurrence happens, the quality of the investigation determines the quality of prevention. The purpose of a safety investigation is not to apportion blame or liability, but to prevent the occurrence from happening again.

The course gives you a rigorous method to conduct an internal investigation within an airline or an aviation organisation: classify the occurrence, plan the investigation, protect and collect the evidence, analyse human and organisational factors, then write useful safety recommendations and a report that follows the Annex 13 format. A running case study, the AC-512 flight, links the modules together.

Key facts

Duration, formats and arrangements

Duration

About 15 hours of e-learning: 8 narrated videos, 6 case study packs, 6 quizzes, a final exam and a written assignment.

Available 24/7, at your own pace.

Formats

E-learning on aero-consulting-online.com (individual access).

Group or blended sessions to train a team: on quote.

Teaching methods

Narrated videos in English, with subtitles.

Case study packs with regulatory texts and textbook cases.

A running case study, from notification to the final report.

Assessment

A validation quiz at the end of each module (80% required).

Final exam: 20 multiple-choice questions, 80% required (16 out of 20); a second attempt if you fail.

Written assignment: an investigation report on the AC-512 case, marked by the trainer (8/10 required).

Certificate

Personal certificate of achievement, released online once all assessments are passed.

Content based on ICAO Annex 13 and Doc 9756, Annex 19 and Doc 9859, Regulations (EU) No 996/2010 and No 376/2014.

Price

€350 per learner in e-learning.

Groups and companies: on quote.

Learning objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

Place the investigation within ICAO Annex 13, Regulation (EU) No 996/2010 and Regulation (EU) No 376/2014.
Classify an occurrence (accident, serious incident, incident) and decide whether to open an investigation.
Plan the investigation, protect and collect the evidence, and use the flight recorders.
Analyse human and organisational factors with the SHELL and Reason models.
Separate facts, analysis and conclusions, then write useful and verifiable safety recommendations.
Write an investigation report that follows the Annex 13 format.

Why a course on safety investigation?

An investigation that stops at the individual error rarely prevents the next occurrence. A structured method helps you find the root causes, organisational as well as human, and produce recommendations whose follow-up can be measured.

Internal investigation is a key part of the safety management system. This course complements the EASA Part-145 training and the EASA Part-CAMO training, where occurrence reporting and analysis are required.

Course programme

Module 0 – Introduction and regulatory background

The course, its objectives and the regulatory background.

Module 1 – Regulatory and institutional framework

ICAO Annex 13, the parties to an investigation, national and international legal framework.

Module 2 – Fundamental safety concepts

Systemic causation model, classification of occurrences, decision to investigate.

Module 3 – Conducting the investigation

Notification, planning, protecting and collecting evidence, interviews.

Module 4 – Technical investigations

Flight recorders (FDR, CVR), examination of systems and structure, environmental factors.

Module 5 – Human and organisational factors

SHELL and Reason models, safety culture, just culture, lessons learned.

Module 6 – Reporting and running case study

Investigation report, safety recommendations, occurrence database; launch of the written assignment.

Module 7 – Final assessment

Final exam, written assignment on the AC-512 case, then the certificate.

Target audience and prerequisites

The course is designed for:

Safety managers (SMS) and internal investigators.
Quality and compliance managers.
Flight and cabin crew, maintenance and operations staff.
Airlines, Part-145 and CAMO organisations, airports and air navigation service providers.

Prerequisites: understand and read English; a basic knowledge of flight operations, maintenance or safety management.

FAQ – Air Safety Investigation

What is the Air Safety Investigation course?

An online course on the safety investigation method defined by ICAO Annex 13: notification, evidence collection, analysis, conclusions and safety recommendations. It applies to the internal investigations carried out by airlines and aviation organisations.

What is the difference between a safety investigation and a judicial investigation?

The sole objective of a safety investigation is to prevent accidents and incidents. Unlike a judicial investigation, it does not seek to apportion blame or liability. Annex 13 and Regulation (EU) No 996/2010 guarantee this independence.

Who is this course for?

Safety managers and internal investigators, quality and compliance managers, and operations and maintenance staff of airlines, Part-145 and CAMO organisations, airports and air navigation service providers.

How long does the course take?

About 15 hours in e-learning, at your own pace: 8 narrated videos, 6 case study packs, 6 validation quizzes, a final exam and a written assignment.

How is the certificate issued?

You need 80% in each module quiz and in the 20-question final exam (a second attempt is available if you fail), and at least 8/10 on the written assignment, an investigation report on the AC-512 case marked by the trainer. Your personal certificate is then released online.

Is the course available in French?

Yes, the French version “Formation Enquête de sécurité aérienne – méthode et réglementation (Annexe 13 OACI)” is available in e-learning at the same price.