民用航空器及公務航空器重大飛航事故調查作業處理規則

The Regulation is prescribed pursuant to Article 38 of the Transportation Occurrence Investigation Act (hereinafter referred to as the “Act”) and shall apply to the investigation of major aviation occurrences for civil and public aircraft.

1The terms used in the Regulation shall be defined as follows:

21. Major Aviation occurrences: refer to the Major aviation occurrences (Civil aircraft and public aircraft) specified in the scope of the Major Transportation Occurrences prescribed in the first paragraph of Article 1 of the Act..

32. Death : means that the person is in the aircraft, in direct contact with any part of the aircraft, or directly exposed to the airflow caused or caused by the aircraft, and it is not resulting from natural causes, self-induced behaviors, intrusion by another person, or concealment in non-passenger and non-crew seated areas for purposes of illegal immigration. As a result, those who died on the spot or within 30 days of being injured.

43. Injury: refers to the person is in the aircraft, in direct contact with any part of the aircraft, or directly exposed to the airflow caused or caused by the aircraft, and it is not resulting from natural causes, self-induced behaviors, intrusion by another person, or concealment in non-passenger and non-crew seated areas for purposes of illegal immigration, who may have one of the following situations:

51) Hospitalization for more than forty-eight (48) hours is required within seven (7) days upon occurrence of the injury.

62) Fracture, excluding that of any finger, toe or nose.

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1When a major aviation occurrence mentioned in the third paragraph of Article 6 of the Act arises, the TTSB shall, upon receipt of the invitation by the investigation authority of the State of occurrence, immediately designate an accredited representative and invite the owner of the aircraft, the operator of the aircraft, the designer of the aircraft, the manufacturer of the aircraft and personnel of the Civil Aeronautics Administration of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (hereinafter referred to as CAA), to form a team for the purposes of participating in the investigation operations.

2The expenses relating to the participation of the investigation referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be borne by the various authorities (organizations) respectively.

According to Article 6 of the Act, after a major aviation occurrence or an alleged major aviation occurrence arises, the owner of the aircraft, the operator of the aircraft and the air traffic control authority (organization) agency shall, within the time limit specified in Article 9 of the Act, promptly notify TTSB duty officer by telephone on present situations of the occurrence and fill out a Major Aviation Occurrence Notification Form transmitting to the TTSB by fax or email.

1The owner of the aircraft, the operator of the aircraft and the air traffic control authority (organization) shall notify the TTSB of the following occurrence or alleged occurrence:

21. Death or injury of any person;

32. The aircraft is missing or is completely inaccessibility;

43. Substantial damage to aircraft or existence of sufficient ground to believe that the aircraft is subjected to substantial damage;

54. An aircraft is in close proximity to another aircraft within five hundred feet in the air and requiring an avoidance maneuver to avoid a collision or an unsafe situation;

65. The aircraft collision event may cause substantial damage to the aircraft;

76. During controllable flights, those who deviate from the course or fail to comply with the air traffic control instructions must take emergency avoidance maneuver to avoid collision with terrain or ground barriers;

87. Aborted take-offs on a closed or engaged runway, on a taxiway or unassigned runway;

Upon receipt of any notification, the TTSB may, if it deems necessary, designate an on-scene investigator to lead a go-team to the scene of the occurrence and take any necessary actions for the identification of the occurrence. The owner of the aircraft, the operator of the aircraft, the local government where the occurrence took place, the operator of the airport, the CAA, Taiwan International Ports Corporation Limited (hereinafter referred to as TIPC), Maritime and Port Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications (hereinafter referred to as MPB), coast guard authority and other related organizations shall assist the on-scene investigator to carry out his or her tasks.

The TTSB shall, based on the contents of the notification and the information gathered by the go-team, identify whether the subject event of the notification is a major aviation occurrence, and, if and when necessary, may form a review board to review the disputes arising out of the identification.

The TTSB may, after deliberating upon the practicability of the investigation, terminate the investigation while the investigation is in process, but the grounds for such suspension shall be specified.

Members of the go-team and investigation task force shall carry an identification card issued by the TTSB for an investigator when entering such restricted areas as the scene of the occurrence, wreckage search areas, wreckage storage area, reconstruction area, investigation command center, airport and so forth

1After a major aviation occurrence arises, the owner of the aircraft, the operator of the aircraft, local government where the occurrence occurred, the operator of the airport, the CAA, TIPC, MPB, coast guard authority or Ministry of National Defense shall in addition to assist the investigation matters designated by the investigation task force, also render assistance ex officio in respect of the following matters:

21. Collect information regarding casualties;

32. Collect information regarding the damage to the aircraft;

43. Collect information regarding the site of the occurrence;

54. Conduct alcoholic and drug tests on the flight crew;

65. Locate the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder;

76. Keep contact information of the flight crew and on-site eyewitnesses and taking down their statements; and

87. Transport, make aerial reconnaissance and provide information of military and civil dual-purpose airports.

1After a major aviation occurrence arises, the local government, the operator of the airport, the CAA, TIPC, MPB or the coast guard authority where the occurrence occurred shall provide spaces for the operations of the command center of the investigation, temporary wreckage storage, as well as communications and office equipments.

2The TTSB may request local government and police departments to enforce necessary security maintenance and precautionary measures in the area where the occurrence occurred so as to prevent hazards to the safety of the general public caused by the wreckage of the aircraft or the dangerous goods on board as well as to avoid man-made destruction of the scene.

Pursuant to the second paragraph of Article 12 of the Act, the operator of the aircraft shall use its best efforts to require the personnel at the occurrence site to turn off the power source of the cockpit voice recorder after the aircraft touches down and shuts down its engines. The supervisor concerned shall promptly confirm the power cutoff.

In the course of the investigation, the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of National Defense, and Ministry of Transportation and Communications, coast guard authorities, local governments or any other civilian enterprises deemed appropriate and entrusted by the TTSB may, as requested by the investigation task force, take such measures as aerial surveillance or photography, and notify the TTSB promptly of any information so collected.

After a major aviation occurrence arises, the investigation task force may request the Ministry of Economic Affairs to further direct the utilities concerned to furnish the layouts of public gas and fuel lines, diagrams of power transmission lines, markings information and any other necessary data and charts so as to prevent a derivative hazards.

1If any of the following situations is likely to occur, the Investigator-In-Charge may consent to necessary clearance of the scene of the major aviation occurrence pursuant to Article 13 of the Act:

21. Derivative damage of the wreckage;

32. Derivative hazards;

43. Injury to the general public;

54. Environmental pollution; or

65. Airport inoperable due to the major aviation occurrence.

When a major aviation occurrence mentioned by the first paragraph of Article 6 arises, the TTSB shall, in reference to the rules issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (hereinafter referred to as ICAO), notify the ICAO and the aviation occurrence investigation authority of the State of Registry, the State of the Operator, the State of Design, the State of Manufacture or the State of fatalities or injuries to its citizens in the occurrence within thirty (30) days after the identification of the occurrence.

1The Investigator-In-Charge in implementing Article 11 of the Act, shall invite an investigation team composed of representatives and experts from the following authorities (organizations) to join the investigation task force if he or she deems necessary:

21. The CAA;

32. The authorities (organizations) concerned in the occurrence;

43. The owner of the aircraft or the operator of the aircraft;

54. The aviation occurrence investigation authority of the aircraft’s State of Registry, the State of manufacture, the State of Design, as well as the State of Operator; and

65. Any other professional organization related to aviation safety.

7Neither lawyers nor representatives from insurance companies may participate in the investigation task force.

If any person participating in the investigation referred to in the preceding article fails to obey any direction given by the Investigator-In-Charge or violates any matter contained in the commitment on confidentiality, the Investigator-In-Charge may suspend his or her participation in the operations of the investigation task force.

1Pursuant to Article 20 of the Act, the accredited representatives from the aviation occurrence investigation authority of the State of Registry, the State of the Operator, the State of Design and the State of Manufacture may, upon making a written confidentiality commitment and obtaining consent from the Investigator-In-Charge, may engage in the following tasks:

21. Visit the scene of the occurrence;

32. Examine the wreckage;

43. Interview the witnesses and get testimonies in conjunction with the personnel of the investigation task force;

54. Examine the relevant evidences;

65. Receive copies of all pertinent documents;

76. Participate in readouts of the flight recorders;

87. Participating in the off-scene investigative activities, such as; components examinations, technical briefings, tests and simulations;

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1Pursuant to Article 20 of the Act, the representatives from the aviation occurrence investigation authority of the State whose nationals having sustained death in the occurrence may, upon making a written confidentiality commitment and complying with the directions given by the Investigator-In-Charge, may engage the following tasks:

21. Visit the scene of the occurrence;

32. Participate in the identification of the victims;

43. Assist in interviewing the surviving passengers of the same nationality;

54. Have access to the relevant factual information published by the TTSB, and information on the progress of the investigation; and

65. Receive a copy of the Final Report.

1Pursuant to Article 14 of the Act, the TTSB holds the priority in taking custody of any relevant evidence. In the course of the investigation, it may return to the authorities (organizations) concerned such evidence as are no longer required in the investigation.

2After the Final Report is released, the TTSB shall promptly return the relevant evidence to the authorities (organizations) concerned such as the aircraft, wreckage, documents and manuals.

3In case of any involvement of death or injury of any person in a major aviation occurrence, the TTSB may not return relevant evidence to the authorities (organizations) concerned until the prosecutorial authority gives its consent.

1Prior to an interview, an interviewee may request a person to accompany him or her to the place where the interview is conducted. No supervisor, employer, lawyer or insurance agent of the interviewee or any member of the judiciary, prosecutorial or investigative authorities may so accompany the interviewee unless the TTSB gives its consent.

2The person accompanying the interviewee may not enter the place where the interview is conducted unless he or she undertakes not to disclose the contents of the interview and not to interfere with the interview.

3During the interview, the interviewee shall answer truthfully to any question presented to him or her by the TTSB’s investigation task force. The accompanying person may not make any statement or interfere with or interrupt the interview, however, the interviewee may discuss the question with the accompanying person.

4Prior to the interview, the supervisor or employer of the interviewee may not in any way affect the interviewee as to his or her statements concerning the facts, nor interfere with the interview.

5No person may enter the place where the interview is conducted except those permitted by the investigation task force.

6After the interview, the interviewee may not disclose the contents of the interview.

The public disclosure of recordings or records of the interview and any restricted documents with respect to any situation described in Articles 21 and 22 of the Act and the subparagraphs of first paragraph of Article 18 of the Freedom of Government Information Law, shall be limited.

The authorities (organizations) concerned, domestic or abroad, as well as any unit subjected to investigation, may file a written application for presenting their dissent at the Board meeting of the TTSB within fifteen (15) days after receipt of a Draft Final Report pursuant to second paragraph of Article 24 of the Act.

1When a major aviation occurrence of an aircraft registered in the ROC or operated by an airline incorporated in the ROC arises outside the territory of the ROC and the investigation is conducted by the State of Occurrence, the authority (organization) concerned shall inform the TTSB in ninety (90)days after receipt of the safety recommendation issued by the State of Occurrence transmitted by the TTSB, of the preventive action taken or under consideration, if impracticable, detailed reasons shall also be stated.

2To improve flight safety, the TTSB may refer the final report issued by the State of Occurrence as mentioned in preceding paragraph and issue flight safety recommendations to government authorities pursuant to Article 27 of the Act.

In respect to any matter regarding the notification, identification, on-scene handling, personnel interviews, investigation and release of investigation reports relating to major aviation occurrences that involves international affairs but fails to be covered by the Regulation, the TTSB may, further formulate administrative regulations to supplement the applicable provisions of the Regulation in reference to the standards, recommendations, methods or procedures set forth in applicable international conventions and their annexes.

The Regulation shall become effective as of the date of promulgation.