Safety Investigation Report 2018:Report/i Contents/VII Glossary
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SAFETY INVESTIGATION REPORT MH370 (9M-MRO)
VII. GLOSSARY OF TERMS
When the following terms are used, they have the following meaning:
- Accident
An occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which, in the case of a manned aircraft, takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight until such time as all such persons have disembarked, or in the case of an unmanned aircraft, takes place between the time the aircraft is ready to move with the purpose of flight until such time as it comes to rest at the end of the flight and the primary propulsion system is shut down, in which:
a) a person is fatally or seriously injured as a result of:
- being in the aircraft, or
- direct contact with any part of the aircraft, including parts which have become detached from the aircraft, or
- direct exposure to jet blast,
Except when the injuries are from natural causes, self-inflicted or inflicted by other persons, or when the injuries are to stowaways hiding outside the areas normally available to the passengers and crew; or
b) the aircraft sustains damage or structural failure which:
- adversely affects the structural strength, performance or flight characteristics of the aircraft, and would normally require major repair or replacement of the affected component,
except for engine failure or damage, when the damage is limited to a single engine (including its cowlings or accessories), to propellers, wing tips, antennas, probes, vanes, tires, brakes, wheels, fairings, panels, landing gear doors, windscreens, the aircraft skin (such as small dents or puncture holes), or for minor damages to main rotor blades, tail rotor blades, landing gear, and those resulting from hail or bird strike (including holes in the radome); or
c) The aircraft is missing or is completely inaccessible.
Note 1 - For statistical uniformity only, an injury resulting in death within thirty days of the date of the accident is classified, by ICAO, as a fatal injury.
Note 2 - An aircraft is considered to be missing when the official search has been terminated and the wreckage has not been located.
Note 3 - The type of unmanned aircraft system to be investigated is addressed in Annex 13, para 5.1.
Note 4 - Guidance for the determination of aircraft damage can be found in Annex 13, Attachment E.
- Accredited Representative
- A person designated by a State, on the basis of his or her qualifications, for the purpose of participating in an investigation conducted by another State. Where the State has been established an accident investigation authority, the designated accredited representative would normally be from that authority.
- Advisor
- A person appointed by a State, on the basis of his or her qualifications, for the purpose of assisting its accredited representative in an investigation.
- Aeronautical fixed telecommunication network (AFTN)
- A worldwide system of aeronautical fixed circuit provided, as part of the aeronautical fixed service, for the exchange of messages and/or digital data between aeronautical fixed stations having the same or compatible communications characteristics.
- Air-ground communication
- Two-way communication between aircraft and stations or locations on the surface of the earth.
- Aircraft
- Any machine that can give derive support in the atmosphere from the reactions of the air other than the reactions of the air against the earth’s surface.
- Alert Phase
- A situation wherein apprehension exists as to the safety of an aircraft and its occupants.
- Alerting Post
- Any facility intended to serve as an intermediary between a person reporting an emergency and a rescue co-ordination centre or rescue sub-centre.
- Blind Transmission
- A transmission from one station to another station in circumstances where two-way communication cannot be established but where it is believed that the called station is able to receive the transmission.
- Cabin Crew Member
- A crew member who performs, in the interest of safety passengers, duties assigned by the operator or the pilot-in-command of the aircraft, but who shall not act as a flight crew member.
- Cargo
- Any property carried on an aircraft other than mail, stores and accompanied or mishandled baggage.
- Causes
- Actions, omissions, events, conditioning, or a combination of thereof, which led to the accident or incident. The identification of causes does not imply the assignment of fault or the determination of administrative, civil or criminal liability.
- Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC)
- International term for time at the prime meridian.
- Conversion Training
- Training required when a pilot is posted to a different aircraft type or model
- DETRESFA
- The code word used to designate a distress phase
- Distress Phase
- A situation wherein there is reasonable certainty than an aircraft and its occupants are threatened by grave and imminent danger or require immediate assistance.
- Emergency Phase
- A generic term meaning, as the case may be, uncertainty phase, alert phase or distress phase
- Filed Flight Plan
- The flight plan as filed with an ATS unit by the pilot or a designated representative, without any subsequent changes.
- Flight Plan
- Specified information provided to air traffic units, relative to an intended flight or portion of a flight of an aircraft.
- Flight Recorder
- Any type of recorder installed in the aircraft for the purpose of complementing accident/incident investigation - Annex 6, Parts I, II and III, for specifications relating to flight recorders.
- Incident
- An occurrence, other than an accident, associated with the operation of an aircraft which affects or could affect the safety of operation.
Note: The types of incidents which are of main interest to the International Civil Aviation Organization for accident prevention studies are listed in Accident/Incident Reporting Manual (Doc. 9156). - Investigation
- A process conducted for the purpose of accident prevention which includes the gathering and analysis of information, the drawing of conclusions, including the determination of causes and/or contributing factors and, when appropriate, the making of safety recommendations.
- Investigator-in-Charge
- A person charged, on the basis of his or her qualifications, with the responsibility for the organisation, conduct and control of an investigation
Note - Nothing in the above definition is intended to preclude the functions of an investigator-in-charge being assigned to a commission or other body. - Knot (kt)
- A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour.
- NOTAM
- A notice distributed by means of telecommunication containing information concerning the establishment, condition of change in any aeronautical facility, service, procedure or hazard, the timely knowledge of which is essential to personnel concerned with flight operations.
- Operator
- A person, organization or enterprise engaged in or offering to engage in an aircraft operation.
- Pilot-in-Command
- The pilot responsible for the operation and the safety of the aircraft during flight time.
- Safety Recommendation
- A proposal of an accident investigation authority based on information derived from an investigation, made with the intention of preventing accidents or incidents and which in no case has the purpose of creating a presumption of blame or liability for an accident or incident. In addition to safety recommendations arising from accident and incident investigations, safety recommendations may result from diverse sources, including safety studies. (Annex 13, Chapter 1, page 1-3).
- State of Design
- The State having jurisdiction over the organization responsible for the type design.
- State of Manufacture
- The State having jurisdiction over the organization responsible for the final assembly of the aircraft.
- State of Occurrence
- The State in the territory of which an accident or incident occurs.
- State of the Operator
- The State in which the operator’s principal place of business is located or, if there is no such place of business, the operator’s permanent residence.
- State of Registry
- The State on whose register the aircraft is entered.
Note: In the case of the registration of aircraft of an international operating agency on other than a national basis, the States constituting the agency are jointly and severally bound to assume the obligations which, under the Chicago Convention, attach to a State of Registry. See, in this regard, the Council Resolution of 14 December 1967 on Nationality and Registration of Aircraft Operated by International Operating Agencies which can be found in Policy and Guidance Material on the Economic Regulation of International Air Transport (Doc 9587). - State Safety Programme (SSP)
- An integrated set of regulations and activities aimed at improving safety.
- Uncertainty Phase
- A situation wherein doubt exists as to the safety of an aircraft or marine vessel, and of the persons on board.