TSB investigation, reporting & evidence

TSB investigation (TC AIM GEN 3.1):

• Purpose: prevent recurrence. Not to determine or assign blame or liability.
• Scope: every aviation occurrence in Canada involving civil aircraft registered in Canada or abroad.
• Standby: investigators on 24-hr standby.

Who must report (GEN 3.3): any of these with direct knowledge of an occurrence that results directly from aircraft operation:

• Owner
• Operator
• Pilot-in-command
• Any crew member
• Any person providing air traffic services

Where: regional TSB office (GEN 3.3.5).

Timeline (GEN 3.3.3):

Evidence (GEN 3.4): anyone holding or controlling occurrence evidence must keep and preserve it, unless the Board provides otherwise.

Exception: measures needed to protect people, property, or the environment may disturb evidence. Then:

1. Record evidence first, so far as possible, by the best means available.
2. Take the protective measures.
3. Afterward, advise the Board what was done.

SECURITAS (GEN 3.5):

• TSB confidential, multi-modal channel for unsafe acts or conditions not normally reported through other channels.
• Replaced older CASRP.
• No identifying information released without reporter's written consent.

Trap: 24-hr standby is TSB response availability, not a report deadline: report "as soon as possible" by quickest means, rest within 30 days. Investigation is for prevention, not blame; protective measures are allowed, but record-first and Board notice still apply.

Practice