Accident and Incident Reporting

AIM ¶ 7-7-2 Accident and Incident Reporting

AIM 7-7-2 explains NTSB notification rules for accidents and incidents, what to report, follow-up forms, and where to file. Key reference for checkride prep.

In Plain English

AIM 7-7-2 outlines the operator's duty to notify the NTSB immediately, by the most expeditious means available, when an aircraft accident or certain serious incidents occur. While the AIM is informational, the underlying rule is found in 49 CFR Part 830.

Incidents requiring immediate NTSB notification include:

  • Flight control system malfunction or failure
  • A required crewmember unable to perform duties due to injury or illness
  • Failure of turbine engine structural components (excluding blades and vanes)
  • Inflight fire or midair collision
  • Property damage (other than aircraft) exceeding $25,000
  • Specific electrical, hydraulic, multi-engine power loss, or emergency egress events on aircraft over 12,500 lbs
  • An aircraft overdue and believed involved in an accident

Notification can be by phone, telegraph, or via the FAA. Follow-up reports go on NTSB Form 6120.1/6120.2 within 10 days of an accident, or when an overdue aircraft is still missing after 7 days. Incident reports are filed only when requested by the NTSB. File with the NTSB Field Office nearest the event.

AIM Source Text
FAA AIM ¶ 7-7-2
7-7-2. 7-7-2. Aircraft Accident and Incident Reporting Occurrences Requiring Notification. The operator of an aircraft must immediately, and by the most expeditious means available, notify the nearest National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Field Office when: An aircraft accident or any of the following listed incidents occur: Flight control system malfunction or failure. Inability of any required flight crew member to perform their normal flight duties as a result of injury or illness. Failure of structural components of a turbine engine excluding compressor and turbine blades and vanes. Inflight fire. Aircraft collide in flight. Damage to property, other than the aircraft, estimated to exceed $25,000 for repair (including materials and labor) or fair market value in the event of total loss, whichever is less. For large multi‐engine aircraft (more than 12,500 pounds maximum certificated takeoff weight): Inflight failure of electrical systems which requires the sustained use of an emergency bus powered by a back‐up source such as a battery, auxiliary power unit, or air‐driven generator to retain flight control or essential instruments; Inflight failure of hydraulic systems that results in sustained reliance on the sole remaining hydraulic or mechanical system for movement of flight control surfaces; Sustained loss of the power or thrust produced by two or more engines; and An evacuation of aircraft in which an emergency egress system is utilized. An aircraft is overdue and is believed to have been involved in an accident. Manner of Notification. The most expeditious method of notification to the NTSB by the operator will be determined by the circumstances existing at that time. The NTSB has advised that any of the following would be considered examples of the type of notification that would be acceptable: Direct telephone notification. Telegraphic notification. Notification to the FAA who would in turn notify the NTSB by direct communication; i.e., dispatch or telephone. Items to be Included in Notification. The notification required above must contain the following information, if available: Type, nationality, and registration marks of the aircraft. Name of owner and operator of the aircraft. Name of the pilot‐in‐command. Date and time of the accident, or incident. Last point of departure, and point of intended landing of the aircraft. Position of the aircraft with reference to some easily defined geographical point. Number of persons aboard, number killed, and number seriously injured. Nature of the accident, or incident, the weather, and the extent of damage to the aircraft so far as is known; and A description of any explosives, radioactive materials, or other dangerous articles carried. Follow-up Reports. The operator must file a report on NTSB Form 6120.1 or 6120.2, available from NTSB Field Offices or from the NTSB, Washington, DC, 20594: Within 10 days after an accident; When, after 7 days, an overdue aircraft is still missing; A report on an incident for which notification is required as described in subparagraph a(1) must be filed only as requested by an authorized representative of the NTSB. Each crewmember, if physically able at the time the report is submitted, must attach a statement setting forth the facts, conditions, and circumstances relating to the accident or incident as they appeared. If the crewmember is incapacitated, a statement must be submitted as soon as physically possible. Where to File the Reports. The operator of an aircraft must file with the NTSB Field Office nearest the accident or incident any report required by this section. The NTSB Field Offices are listed under U.S. Government in the telephone directories in the following cities: Anchorage, AK; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Denver, CO; Fort Worth, TX; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; Parsippany, NJ; Seattle, WA.
Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask
Q1Name several incidents that require immediate NTSB notification.
Per AIM 7-7-2, immediate notification is required for flight control malfunctions, crewmember incapacitation, turbine engine structural failure (excluding blades/vanes), inflight fire, midair collision, property damage over $25,000, and an overdue aircraft believed to be involved in an accident.
Q2How soon must an operator file a written accident report, and on what form?
Per AIM 7-7-2, the operator must file NTSB Form 6120.1 or 6120.2 within 10 days after an accident, or when an overdue aircraft is still missing after 7 days. Incident reports are filed only when requested by the NTSB.
Q3What information should be included when notifying the NTSB of an accident?
Per AIM 7-7-2, notification should include aircraft type, nationality, and registration; owner/operator and pilot-in-command names; date, time, and location; departure and intended landing points; persons aboard, killed, and seriously injured; nature of the event, weather, damage extent; and any dangerous articles carried.
Related Paragraphs in AIM Chapter 7
Master the AIM
Stop guessing. Drill it.

Adaptive questions tied to the live AIM + FAR. Mock checkrides predict your DPE pass rate.

5 questions/day free • No credit card
AIM 7-7-2 — Aircraft Accident & Incident Reporting