ENR 1.14  Air traffic incidents

1.   DEFINITION OF AIR TRAFFIC INCIDENTS

Occurrences related to air traffic control, causing real or potential hazard for safety, shall be reported and assessed. This shall not preclude the reporting of any occurrence, situation or condition which, if repeated in different but likely circumstances or allowed to continue uncorrected, could create a hazard to aircraft safety.
The following types of incidents are of special interest for the air traffic control.
1.1   POSSIBILITY OF COLLISION
Encompassing specific situations where one aircraft and another aircraft / ground/a vehicle/person or object are perceived to be too close to each other:
  1. Separation minima infringement;
  2. Inadequate separation;
  3. Near Controlled Flight Into Terrain (Near CFIT);
  4. Runway incursion where avoiding action was necessary.
1.2   POTENTIAL FOR COLLISION OR NEAR COLLISION
Encompassing specific situations having the potential to be an accident or a near collision, if another aircraft is in the vicinity:
  1. Runway incursion where no avoiding action is necessary;
  2. Runway excursion by aircraft;
  3. Aircraft deviation from ATC clearance;
  4. Aircraft deviation from applicable air traffic management regulation (ATM):
    1. Aircraft deviation from applicable published ATM procedures;
    2. Unauthorised penetration of airspace;
    3. Deviation from aircraft ATM-related equipment carriage and operations, as mandated in applicable regulation(s).

1.3   ATM – SPECIFIC OCCURRENCES
Encompassing those situations where the ability to provide safe ATM services is affected, but the safe operations of aircraft has not been jeopardized. This shall include the following occurrences:
  1. Inability to provide Air Traffic Management Services (ATM):
    1. Inability to provide Air Traffic Services (ATS);
    2. Inability to provide Airspace Management Services;
    3. Inability to provide Air Traffic Flow Management Services;
  2. Failure of Communication function;
  3. Failure of Surveillance function;
  4. Failure of Data Processing and Distribution function;
  5. Failure of Navigation function;
  6. ATM system security.
Incorrectness or deterioration of quality of air traffic control navigation and radio-communication equipment.
The aircraft was, or could have been exposed to hazard due to negligence of any of ground staff (ATC, dispatcher, maintenance).
Excessive work load of air traffic control service (ATC).
Failure or unplanned shutdown of the main ATC operational computer system resulting in infringement of normal air traffic flow.
Reports shall be submitted on the following ATM occurrences:
  1. Incorrect, inadequate or erroneous information from any of the ground sources (air traffic control – ATC, automatic terminal information service - ATIS, meteorological service, navigation database, maps, manuals etc.);
  2. Provision of less than prescribed terrain clearance;
  3. Provision of incorrect pressure reference data (i.e. altimeter setting);
  4. Incorrect transmission, receipt or interpretation of significant messages when this results in a hazardous situation;
  5. Separation minima infringement;
  6. Unauthorised penetration of airspace;
  7. Unlawful radio communication transmission;
  8. Failure of ANS ground or satellite facilities;
  9. Major ATC/ATM failure or significant deterioration of aerodrome infrastructure;
  10. Aerodrome movement areas obstructed by aircraft, vehicles, animals or foreign objects, resulting in a hazardous or potentially hazardous situation;
  11. Errors or inadequacies in marking of obstructions or hazards on aerodrome movement areas resulting in a hazardous situation;
  12. Failure, significant malfunction or unavailability of airfield lighting.

2.   USE OF THE AIR TRAFFIC INCIDENT REPORT FORM

The Air Traffic Control Safety Report (ATCSR) form can be used by persons reporting an ATM related safety occurrence or ATM-specific occurrence. Compulsory items for any filed report: 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12 and 13. Instructions How to fill an Air Traffic Safety Report (ATCSR):
Report No.
The organisations own identification number of the report.
  1. ATM-related safety occurrence
    Tick the appropriate box to indicate the type of occurrence that is reported.
  2. ATM-specific safety occurrence
    Tick the appropriate box to indicate the type of occurrence that is reported.
  3. Involved
    If applicable, state the number of aircraft involved in the occurrence. Tick the applicable box if event involved Vehicle(s), Person(s), Animal(s) or Military aircraft. Enter name(s) on ATS unit(s) involved in the occurrence.
  4. Location of the occurrence
    Enter reference to known geographical place, navigational aid or in plain language. If applicable, enter altitude of aircraft and state unit of measurement (e.g. feet AGL/MSL, metres, flight level etc.). If applicable, enter the latitude and longitude of the occurrence.
  5. Date and time for the occurrence
    Enter the date, month, year and time in UTC of the occurrence.
  6. Information on A/C(s) involved (if applicable to the event)
    Space for information on two aircraft are provided, if more than two aircraft were involved, please describe the additional aircraft in the “Description of event” (7) section, or on an additional form.
    - Call sign
    Enter the call sign of the aircraft.
    - Make / Model
    Enter the aircraft manufacturer and type.
    - Aircraft registration
    Enter the aircraft complete registration code.
    - Departure point
    Enter the departure point either as a 3-letter IATA code, 4-letter ICAO code, position in latitude /longitude or in plain language.
    - Destination point
    Enter the destination point either as a 3-letter IATA code, 4-letter ICAO code, position in latitude /longitude or in plain language.
    - SSR-Code
    Enter the assigned Secondary Surveillance Radar squawk code.
    - Altitude, cleared
    Enter the aircraft cleared altitude and state unit of measurement (e.g. feet AGL/MSL, metres, flight level etc.).
    - Altitude, actual
    Enter the aircraft actual altitude and state unit of measurement (e.g. feet AGL/MSL, metres, flight level etc.).
    - Mode C
    Enter if mode C was in use.
    - Flight Rules
    Tick the box whether the flight was conducted under VFR (Visual Flight Rules), IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) or SVFR (Special Visual Flight Rules). Tick applicable box for day or night conditions.
    - Operator / Owner
    Enter the operator or owner of the aircraft.
    - Purpose of flight
    Tick applicable box according to the type of operation being conducted at the time of the occurrence.
    - Type of operation
    Tick box whether the type was GAT (General Air Traffic) or OAT (Other Air Traffic).
    - Flight phase at time of occurrence
    Tick applicable box according to the phase of flight under which the occurrence took place.
    - Type of ATM service provided
    Tick box for the kind of ATM service provided.
    - Airspace classification
    Tick box for the airspace category at which the occurrence took place.
    - Other airspace areas
    Tick box for the applicable area with restrictions.
    - Type of report filed by A/C (Information source)
    State or tick box for the report type filed by the aircraft.
    - Type of monitoring system alert
    Tick box for the type of system alert received.
  7. Description of event
    Describe the event and the circumstances under which it occurred.
  8. Attachments
    Include other relevant information such as photographs, reports or sketches, if available and applicable.
  9. Report type and submitter’s details
    Tick the report type box:
    • Notification of finding with complete investigation results no further submissions are anticipated;
    • Initial finding notification only a report that does not contain all of the required information or investigation results. A follow-up report is required;
    • Follow-up report from earlier findings notification a report of investigation results or additional information following a report marked as initial finding notification only. Please state the initial reports reference number and date.
  10. Submitter's details
    Enter the appropriate details of the submitter.

3.   REPORTING PROCEDURES (INCLUDING IN-FLIGHT PROCEDURES)

The following are the procedures to be followed by a pilot who is or has been involved in an incident:
  1. During flight, use the appropriate air/ground frequency for reporting an incident of major significance, particularly if it involves other aircraft, so as to permit the facts to be ascertained immediately;
  2. As promptly as possible after landing, submit a completed Air Traffic Control Safety Report:
    1. For confirming a report of an incident made initially as in a) above, or for making the initial report on such an incident if it had not been possible to report it by radio;
    2. For reporting an incident which did not require immediate notification at the time of occurrence.
An initial report made by radio should contain the following information:
  1. Aircraft identification;
  2. Type of incident, e.g. aircraft proximity;
  3. Incident;
  4. Miscellaneous.
Directorate of Civil Aviation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereinafter: BHDCA) is the institution authorised to receive, assess, initially analyse, process, disseminate and maintain data from occurrence reports.

4.   PURPOSE OF REPORTING AND HANDLING OF THE FORM

The objective of occurrence reporting is prevention of aviation accidents, serious incidents and incidents and is an efficient contribution to improvement of civil aviation safety.
The objective of the mandatory occurrence reporting is not to establish responsibility, impose fines or take other legal enforcement actions.
Occurrence reporting contributes to better, systematic, easy reference of occurrences and their causes and enables identification of appropriate corrective actions, as well as areas where safety may be improved by implementation of regulations relevant for operations of aircraft and Air Traffic Management Systems (ATM).
Air Traffic Control Safety Report is available on BHDCA web site:http://www.bhdca.gov.ba.