S.L. 499.22 Art. 17Investigation reports.

(1) Where an investigation is carried out under these regulations into an accident or serious incident involving -

(a) an aircraft of a maximum certificated take-off mass of more than 2,250 kg; or

(b) an aircraft of a maximum certificated take-off mass of 2,250 kg or less and when airworthiness or matters considered to be of interest to other Contracting States are involved, the investigator-in-charge shall, unless an Accident Data Report has been sent within thirty days of the accident, send a Preliminary Report as laid down in the Annex within that period to -

(i) the competent authorities of the States referred to in regulation 12(1)(d), (e), (f) and (g) and to ICAO in respect of an aircraft under paragraph (a); and

(ii) the competent authorities of the States referred to in regulation 12(1)(d), (e), (f) and (g) in respect of an aircraft under paragraph (b).

(2) When matters directly affecting safety are involved, the preliminary report shall be sent as soon as the information is available and by the most suitable and most rapid means available.

(3) The investigator-in-charge shall, as soon as possible after the completion of an investigation into an accident -

(a) send a copy of the draft final report to the States referred to in regulation 12(1)(d), (e), (f) and (g), to all States that participated in the investigation and, through their competent authorities, to the operator and the undertakings responsible for the type design, certification and the final assembly of the aircraft, and where the investigation was initiated by another State, to that State, inviting their significant and substantiated comments of the draft final report;

(b) if such comments are received within sixty days of the date of the transmittal letter, amend the draft Final Report to include the substance of the comments received, as deemed appropriate or, if desired by the State that provided the comments, append the comments to the Final Report;

(c) if no comments are received within sixty days, the final report shall be submitted to the Minister and made public unless an extension of that period has been agreed with the State or States concerned.

(4) The final report shall state that the sole objective of the investigation is the prevention of future accidents and incidents and it shall not reveal the identity of the individuals involved in the accident or incident.

(5) The Chief Investigator shall, as soon as practicable after the investigation, also send a copy of the final report to -

(a) all parties specified in sub-regulation (3)(a), and

(b) any State whose citizens suffered fatal or serious injuries in the accident, or States that provided relevant information or significant facilities;

(c) accredited representatives;

(d) advisers;

(e) the Air Safety Unit of the European Commission; and

(f) EASA.

(6) The Chief Investigator shall also send to ICAO -

(a) a copy of the final report where the accident involves an aircraft of a maximum certified take-off mass of more than 5,700 kg; and

(b) the Accident Data Report where the accident involves an aircraft of a maximum certified take-off mass of more than 2,250 kg.

(7) The Chief Investigator shall, where an investigation is carried out into a serious incident involving an aircraft of a maximum certificated take-off mass of more than 5,700 kg, send to the ICAO after the completion of the investigation into the incident the final report of the incident, if the final report has been released, and the Incident Data Report.