Page:The Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 2018 (UKSI 2018-321 qp).pdf/4

 Objective of a safety investigation

8. The sole objective of a safety investigation which is undertaken pursuant to Regulation 996/2010, Annex 13 or these Regulations is the prevention of accidents and incidents, without the apportionment of blame or liability.

Inspectors of Air Accidents

9.—(1) For the purposes of carrying out safety investigations, the Secretary of State must appoint persons to work for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch as Inspectors of Air Accidents.

(2) The Secretary of State must appoint one such Inspector as the Chief Inspector of Air Accidents.

(3) The Chief Inspector must appoint another such Inspector as the Deputy Chief Inspector of Air Accidents.

(4) Any of the Chief Inspector’s powers and obligations under these Regulations may be exercised or discharged by the Deputy Chief Inspector where the Chief Inspector so directs.

(5) Where a safety investigation is required or permitted by Regulation 996/2010, Annex 13 or by these Regulations, the investigator-in-charge is the Chief Inspector or any other Inspector selected by the Chief Inspector for that purpose.

(6) The Chief Inspector may determine that the investigator-in-charge shall be assisted by one or more Inspectors.

Power to investigate

10.—(1) Notwithstanding the obligations to investigate imposed by paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 5 of Regulation 996/2010 and by Chapter 5 of Annex 13, the Chief Inspector may cause a safety investigation to be conducted in accordance with Regulation 996/2010, Annex 13 and these Regulations where—
 * (a) an accident, a serious incident or any other incident occurs in or over the United Kingdom;
 * (b) that accident, serious incident or incident involves any aircraft, including—
 * (i) an aircraft to which the obligation in paragraph 1 of Article 5 of Regulation 996/2010 does not apply; or
 * (ii) an aircraft engaged in military, customs, police or similar services; and
 * (c) the Chief Inspector expects to draw safety lessons for civil aviation from the safety investigation.

(2) In this regulation “similar services” has the same meaning as in paragraph 3 of Article 3 of Regulation 996/2010.

Obligation to investigate accidents and serious incidents occurring outside the United Kingdom

11.—(1) Insofar as it is practicable to do so, the Chief Inspector must cause a safety investigation to be conducted in accordance with Annex 13 and these Regulations where—
 * (a) an accident or serious incident occurs in or over a country or territory other than the United Kingdom or any other Contracting State;
 * (b) the accident or serious incident involves an aircraft in respect of which the United Kingdom is—
 * (i) the State of Registry;
 * (ii) the State of the Operator;
 * (iii) the State of Design; or
 * (iv) the State of Manufacture; and

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