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The pilots of United Flight 889 initiated the report of their near mid-air collision with a Cessna 182 near San Francisco last week. New NTSB rules may make those reports more common, so don’t be surprised if the number of reported near mid-air collisions rises in the coming year.

regulations found in NTSB 830, titled NOTIFICATION AND REPORTING OF AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS OR INCIDENTS AND OVERDUE AIRCRAFT, AND PRESERVATION OF AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE, MAIL, CARGO, AND RECORDS. These regulations govern the reports that pilots and companies must file after an incident, accident or other reportable events. On March 8, 2010, revisions to NTSB 830, that expand the list of reportable events, went into effect. Now some events that previously flew under the radar of the NTSB—and the general public—must be reported. These include “Airborne Collision and Avoidance System (ACAS) resolution advisories issued,” like the ones that occurred on United Flight 889.

All aircraft weighing over 12,586 pounds or authorized to carry more than 19 passengers are required to be equipped with a Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System or TCAS. TCAS systems issue two types of alerts. Traffic Advisories (TA) alert the pilot to other aircraft in the vicinity. Resolution Advisories (RA) are issued when aircraft get very close and instruct a pilot to either climb or descend. Under the new regulations, all RAs must now be reported to the NTSB.

Regulation Review

NTSB 830.5 lists events for which aircraft operators “shall immediately, and by the most expeditious means available, notify the nearest National Transportation Safety Board (Board) field office.” The list includes all accidents and certain types of less serious “incidents.” For all types of aircraft, these reportable incidents have included:

(1) Flight control system malfunction or failure;

(2) Inability of any required flight crewmember to perform normal flight duties as a result of injury or illness;

(3) Failure of structural components of a turbine engine excluding compressor and turbine blades and vanes;

(4) In-flight fire; or

(5) Aircraft collide in flight.

(6) Damage to property, other than the aircraft, estimated to exceed $25,000 for repair (including materials and labor) or fair market value in the event of total loss, whichever is less.

Large multiengine aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds are required to report even more incidents including:

(i) In-flight failure of electrical systems which requires the sustained use of an emergency bus powered by a back-up source such as a battery, auxiliary power unit, or air-driven generator to retain flight control or essential instruments;

(ii) In-flight failure of hydraulic systems that results in sustained reliance on the sole remaining hydraulic or mechanical system for movement of flight control surfaces;

(iii) Sustained loss of the power or thrust produced by two or more engines; and

(iv) An evacuation of an aircraft in which an emergency egress system is utilized.

New Regulations

As of March 8, new rules add the following to the list of reportable events that require immediate notification of the NTSB:

(3) Failure of any internal turbine engine component that results in the escape of debris other than out the exhaust path;

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(8) Release of all or a portion of a propeller blade from an aircraft, excluding release caused solely by ground contact;

(9) A complete loss of information, excluding flickering, from more than 50 percent of an aircraft's cockpit displays known as:

(i) Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) displays;

(ii) Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System (EICAS) displays;

(iii) Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor (ECAM) displays; or

(iv) Other displays of this type, which generally include a primary flight display (PFD), primary navigation display (PND), and other integrated displays;

(10) Airborne Collision and Avoidance System (ACAS) resolution advisories issued either:

(i) When an aircraft is being operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan and compliance with the advisory is necessary to avert a substantial risk of collision between two or more aircraft; or

(ii) To an aircraft operating in class A airspace.

(11) Damage to helicopter tail or main rotor blades, including ground damage, that requires major repair or replacement of the blade(s);

(12) Any event in which an aircraft operated by an air carrier:

(i) Lands or departs on a taxiway, incorrect runway, or other area not designed as a runway; or

(ii) Experiences a runway incursion that requires the operator or the crew of another aircraft or vehicle to take immediate corrective action to avoid a collision.

Conclusion

The new NTSB 830 rules will undoubtedly lead to more notifications of near mid-air collisions like the one involving United Flight 889 near San Francisco. This may ultimately lead to more stories in the press about these events and eventually to theories that the number of near mid-air collisions is increasing. Regardless, one thing remains constant: pilots need to stay constantly vigilant for the presence of other aircraft. Fly Safely!