Air Crash Investigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Air Crash Investigation - Essay Example This report also aims in making recommendations for improving the system and reducing the failure rates. Table of Contents ABSTRACT 1 1.0 Introduction 4 2.0 Description of the Accident 5 3.0 Narrative of Events 5 4.0 Structure of Investigation Report 6 4.1 Executive Summary 7 4.2 Factual Information 7 4.2.1 Mission 7 4.2.2. Sequence of Events or Narrative of Events 7 4.2.3 Sequence of Crash or Response of Accident 7 4.2.4 Description of Damage and Injuries 8 4.2.5 Wreckage Report 8 4.2.6 Operational History 8 4.2.7 Compliance with Directives 8 4.2.8 Training, Qualifications and Certifications 8 4.2.9 Management of Record 9 4.2.10 Opportunities for Prevention of Accident 9 4.2.11 Mission Risk Factors 9 4.2.12 Emphasis on Safety 9 4.3 Analysis 9 4.4 Findings 10 4.5 Recommendations 10 5.0 Major Points and Findings of Investigation Report 10 6.0 Evaluation of Recommendations 12 7.0 Changes to Global Civil Aviation Regulations 15 8.0 System Operation 16 Conclusions 1 Recommendations 1 Lis t of Figures Figure 1 : Percentage of Causes for Air Accidents 5 Figure 2 : Leading Edge Horizontal Sabilizer Separation from Embraer 120 11 Figure 3 : Function of Horizontal Stabilizer 17 Figure 4 : Aircraft Pitch Movement 18 Figure 5 : Effect of Airfoil Shapes on Lift 19 Figure 6 : Horizontal Stabilizer of Embraer 120 19 Figure 7 : Loss of Leading Edge of Horizontal Stabilizer 21 Figure 8 : Fault Tree Analysis of Continental Express Flight 2574 1 Air Crash Investigation Continental Express Flight 2574 Details of Accident 1.0 Introduction According to Annesure 13 of Convention on International Civil Aviation (2010), also known as Chicago Convention, an aviation accident is â€Å"an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft, which takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight until such time as all such persons have disembarked, where a person is fatally or seriously injured, the aircraft sustains damage or structural failure or the aircraft is missing or is completely inaccessible†. The purpose of air crash investigations is to determine the reasons for accident and make safety recommendations to avoid recurrences and if possible preserve life. Its aim is not to apportion blame and liability if any on an individual or organization. Safety Boards are assigned the mandate to carry out these investigations; however, these are not regulatory bodies since approval and implementation of regulation is within the domain of Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). According to Boeing (2010), majority of the aircraft accidents were causes by pilot or flight crew error indicating a high percentage of human factor, followed by defective equipment or component that made up 14% of the total while less than one-third the human factor as shown in figure below: Figure 1 : Percentage of Causes for Air Accidents 2.0 Description of the Accident Continental Express Flight 2574, a domestic flight, was scheduled from Laredo International Airport in Laredo, Texas to Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas on 11 September 1991 with 12 passengers and two crew members on board. Nearly at the end of their 55 minutes flight to destination, aircraft crashed in a corn field near Eagle Lake, Texas due to structural failure. Texas