Aircraft accident investigation procedures and the role of the pathologist

Recommendation 813 (1977)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

See Doc. 3974,Doc. 3974,report of the Committee on Science and Technology. Text adopted by the Standing Committee acting on behalf of the Assembly, on 8 July 1977.

Thesaurus

The Assembly,

1. Considering the importance to flight safety of gaining the fullest possible understanding of the causes of aircraft accidents ;

2. Aware that evidence crucial to the reconstruction of aircraft accidents may be derived from careful systematic examination of the injuries sustained by crew and passengers ;

3. Noting that such examinations have led to improvements in aircraft design and the design of safety equipment and survival procedures ;

4. Believing that, in accordance with recommendations 5.9 and 5.10 of Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, states conducting an aircraft accident inquiry should arrange for a pathologist having experience in aircraft accident investigation to accompany the technical investigators to the scene of the accident ;

5. Welcoming the efforts made to this end by the Council of Europe's Working Party on Aerospace Physiology and Medicine, convened at the instance of the Committee on Science and Technology, and notably by the working party's research group on aerospace pathology,

6. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers call on the governments of member states :

a to take effective measures for the implementation of recommendations 5.9 and 5.10 of Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation ;

b to report thereon to the appropriate body of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, and subsequently to the next triennial session of the European Civil Aviation Conference.