The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is stressing that the introduction of new Civil Aviation Safety Authority flight operations regulations do not impact on existing obligations to report safety occurrences to it.
The new CASA regulations took effect from 2 December 2021, and are relevant to all pilots and operators.
But they do not affect obligations to notify the ATSB of aviation accidents and incidents, as these are defined under the Transport Safety Investigation Regulations, and so are separate to CASA’s Civil Aviation Safety Regulations.
“Pilots’ and operators’ obligations to report accident and incidents to the ATSB remain unaffected by the introduction of the new CASA regulations,” ATSB Director Transport Safety Dr Stuart Godley said.
“When reporting occurrences to the ATSB we do ask that reporters be aware of the flight operations Civil Aviation Safety Regulation (CASR) Part relevant to your operation and include this in your reports to the ATSB.
“But your obligations to report occurrences are based on the type of operation defined in the Transport Safety Investigation Regulations which remain unchanged by CASA’s new regulation changes.”
Accidents and incidents which affect the safety of an aircraft must be immediately reported to the ATSB by telephone by calling 1800 011 034 (or if calling from outside Australia, +61 2 6230 4470). Less serious aviation occurrences – matters that have not had a serious outcome but transport safety was affected or could have been affected – can be reported to the ATSB online via our webform.
Obligations to report accidents and incidents are legislated under the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003, which enable the Transport Safety Investigation Regulations.
Dr Godley noted that the ATSB anticipates undertaking consultation on updates to the reporting requirements in the Transport Safety Investigation Regulations during 2022, with a planned commencement date of revised regulations of 1 January 2023.
Last update 08 December 2021
