The UK updated its aircraft accident investigation regulations, making them consistent with applicable EU law and the latest ICAO standards. Specifically, the Civil Aviation Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents Regulations 1996 and the Civil Aviation Investigation of Military Air Accidents at Civil Aerodromes Regulations 2005 were both revoked and replaced by the Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 2018.
According to UK officials, “Following the entry into force of Regulation 996/2010, it became necessary to revoke and replace those two sets of regulations to implement aspects of the regulation, including creating penalties for infringements of its requirements, and to repeal domestic law that duplicated or was inconsistent with its provisions.”
The regulations spell out the requirements and obligations of accident investigators, operators involved in an accident or reportable incident, and witnesses to the mishap. To make it easier to understand the changes from the previous regulations, the new rules contain explicit notes to indicate what is new and what remains unchanged. The regulations go into effect April 9.