Cabin Safety Investigations

Cabin Safety Aspects in Accidents and Incidents

The findings from past accident investigations have led to significant improvements in the fields of cabin safety and aircraft manufacturing.

These include: 

• 16G seats
• Lavatory smoke detectors and fire extinguishers
• Floor proximity emergency escape path markings
• New requirements for cabin and insulation materials
• Inclusion of human performance training for cabin crew members

These improvements have increased the survivability of occupants involved in latter accidents and helped reduce fatalities among passengers and crew. Cabin safety aspects, including survival factors, should be addressed as part of the investigation process. However, these aspects are often overlooked. Therefore, States and industry may be missing out on the possibility for further safety enhancements.

ICAO developed the Manual on the Investigation of Cabin Safety Aspects in Accidents and Incidents (Doc 10062) to provide guidance for States to investigate specific types of occurrences in the passenger cabin, thereby allowing the appropriate personnel to carry out the necessary functions during an accident investigation. This manual also provides guidance for States and operators when investigating incidents, such as mandatory reported events or events that do not require notification to the State of the Operator but may be a source of lessons learned.

It addresses:

• Accident investigation and cabin safety improvements
• Recommended qualifications and competencies for cabin investigators
• Investigation of cabin safety and survival factors in accidents, including evacuations, turbulence encounters, fire/smoke/fumes, and decompressions
• Incident investigations at the air operator level, including inadvertent slide deployments, unruly passengers, and in-flight medical emergencies

To obtain a copy of the ICAO Manual on the Investigation of Cabin Safety Aspects in Accidents and Incidents (Doc 10062), please visit here.