Course description
The Cranfield Safety and Accident Investigation Centre presents its world-renowned six-week Aircraft Accident Investigation course. The course content has been carefully developed in close collaboration with the accident investigation community and with the endorsement of the Centre’s Industry Advisory Board.
The course brings together the considerable expertise and experience of investigators, operators and researchers to deliver a level of training that is world-class. The close relationship that has existed with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) since the first course ran in 1977, has been enhanced since 2004 by collaboration with the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) as well as organisations including BFU Germany, Kent Police College, Rolls-Royce and Airbus.
The course also features major case studies together with practical exercises including a week-long investigation simulation, powerplants investigation workshop with Rolls-Royce and an investigation management exercise. Visits to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, Military Aircraft Accident Investigation Branch and QinetiQ at Farnborough are also included.
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
The course is designed for those who may have to conduct or participate in an aircraft accident investigation. This may be in the role of official investigator for a State or as an accredited representative/technical advisor of a manufacturer, operator or service provider. Although the main focus of the course is the civil aviation industry, there is also considerable value for military personnel and there is always a significant military presence on the course.
Course delegates typically are fixed or rotary-wing pilots, engineers, safety specialists, air traffic controllers, human performance specialists and state accident investigators. All lectures and workshops will be in English and those without a thorough knowledge of English would be at a severe disadvantage. There are no formal qualifications for entry, but course numbers are limited and courses are often oversubscribed.
Outcome / Qualification etc.
What you will learn
In order to deliver a balanced training experience, the first three weeks of the course focuses on the fundamental skills required of an accident investigator by drawing upon the experiences of air, marine and rail transport investigators. The remaining three weeks concentrate on applying techniques to the specialised aspects of aircraft operations and includes a week-long simulated accident investigation where delegates can apply the new skills learned.
Training Course Content
Core content
The six week course has two key modules:
Module 1 –Fundamentals of Accident Investigation
- Legislation and Regulation
- Appraisal of the Accident Site
- Disaster Response
- Recovery of Wreckage
- Collection of Evidence
- Accident Photography
- Hazards Management on Site
- Wreckage Recovery
- Interviewing Techniques
- Structures and Crashworthiness
- Human Factors for Investigators
- Media Management
- Accident Pathology
- Data Recorders and their Analysis
- Analytical Techniques
- Systemic Approach to Investigation
- Managing Investigations
- Liaising with Victims and their Families
- Relations with the Regulator/Interested Parties
- Developing and Managing Recommendations
- Report Writing
- Follow-Up Actions
- Court Procedures for Investigators
Module 2 –Applied Aircraft Accident Investigation
- Management of complex investigations
- Investigation of military aircraft accidents
- Investigating operational accidents
- Investigating technical accidents
- Air Traffic Control investigations
- Cabin safety investigations
- Investigation of aircraft structural failures
- Aircraft powerplant investigations
- Investigating with recorded data
- Investigating survivability
- Impact and flight path assessment
- Aviation operational and engineering human factors
- Enhanced interview techniques
- Applied analysis methods
- Working with State-accredited representatives
- Working with the regulator
- A major manufacturer’s perspective
- Five-day accident simulation exercise
- Working with the media
- ICAO annex 13 report writing
- Visit to UK AAIB and UK Defence AIB
- State Director / Chief Inspector of Air Accidents' perspective
Course delivery details
Course structure
The course features lectures, tutorials and practical training, including a 3-day simulation of a transport accident investigation.
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Cranfield University
Cranfield is a specialist postgraduate university that is a global leader for education and transformational research in technology and management. We have many world-class, large-scale facilities, including our own global research airport, which offers a unique environment for transformational education...