PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Cardiff City Footballer Feared Missing after aircraft disappeared near Channel Island
Old 20th Mar 2020, 06:45
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Dan Winterland
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Fragrant Harbour
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Can I ask if a high profile AAIB report like this case would be shown to the SoS for transport Grant Chapps and if so would he push for investigating of this and other cases mentioned above ?
The AAIB is a branch of the Department of Transport and report directly to him and he will read every report, as they are written under his jurisdiction. As to whether its up to him to press for prosecution - I doubt it as the AAIB's remit of impartiality will be jeopardised. The AAIB point this out with the following statement which appears in every report:

The sole objective of the investigation of an accident or incident under these Regulations is the prevention of future accidents and incidents. It is not the purpose of such an investigation to apportion blame or liability. Accordingly, it is inappropriate that AAIB reports should be used to assign fault or blame or determine liability, since neither the investigation nor the reporting process has been undertaken for that purpose.
I'm sure the CAA will be taking great interest - it is directly addressed to them. The last paragraph of the accident report states:

Unless otherwise indicated, recommendations in this report are addressed to the appropriate regulatory authorities having responsibility for the matters with which the recommendation is concerned. It is for those authorities to decide what action is taken. In the United Kingdom the responsible authority is the Civil Aviation Authority, Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf, London, E14 4HD or the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, Postfach 10 12 53, D-50452 Koeln, Germany.
However, it's up to the relevant regulatory authorities to conduct their own investigation in the aspects which violated regulations. The report itself should not/must not be used for prosecution. If it is, future investigations may be ineefective with key witnesses being unwilling to give evidence in an investigation in case it is used against them in a prosecution.
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