Originally Posted by
Genghis the Engineer
Not quite what I said.
The AAIB report is available to the police, CPS - or anybody else. That report of facts is, formally, only prepared to allow recommendations to be made, and support them. Hence that AAIB reports where they consider there to be no useful recommendations to be made, tend to be pretty minimal.
But the report isn't primary evidence - in fact it's heresay unless its preparation followed certain strict procedures.
The rest of it can be made available, where due process shows that it should be released. It's not automatically available.
This troubles me. The ADR/FDR/CVR data is primary evidence on a suspected crime scene and should automatically be available to a police investigation IMHO. The same should apply to any witness transcripts
Making all of the evidence automatically available would be rather calculated to stop pilots being open with the AAIB.
That's the bit that troubles me the most. I'm a chartered engineer - a Professional. A core part of my ethical code of conduct requires that I never conceal evidence even if it might place me or my employer in legal "hot water". If pilots will only admit their mistakes if they are assured that they won't face the consequences of their actions then this really calls their professionalism into question IMHO. People with that sort of mindset are not (IMHO) people who should be trusted with the lives of others.
YMMV (obviously)
PDR