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The Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority

Vision

Valuing and empowering our people with the knowledge and skills with the goal of achieving a zero-incident, safe environment

 

Mission

Promoting Safety in the Aviation Industry

Values

  • Safety is our priority

  • Integrity guides our actions

  • Excellence is our goal

Mandate

The mandate of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) is to investigate aviation occurrences to identify deficiencies in the aviation system and make recommendations as necessary, so those deficiencies would not lead to future occurrences. The AAIA does not assign fault, or civil or criminal liability. Instead, the aim is to understand the aspects of the aviation system that may have led to the decisions made on the day of the aviation occurrence.

The AAIA was created and became the official independent aviation accident investigation authority for the Bahamas on October 3rd, 2016 to comply with the standards and recommended practices of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (ICAO) of which The Bahamas is a signatory.

The AAIA works with the government, aviation entities, airline operators, and the regulator to ensure safe transport for the traveling public and industry. If things go wrong, the AAIA steps in to see if changes need to be made to the overall system of safety. Often things go wrong because we’re all human and prone to error and we know that people generally don’t intend to harm themselves or others, nevertheless mistakes do happen.

 

The AAIA is responsible for the investigation of aircraft accidents and serious incidents, as well as the publication of investigation reports. The AAIA is responsible for;

  • Maintaining its mandated independence and objectivity;

  • Conducting objective, accident investigations, and safety studies; and

  • Advocating and promoting safety recommendations.

The fundamental objective of the AAIA is to improve aviation safety by determining the circumstances and causes of air accidents and serious incidents and making safety recommendations intended to prevent the recurrence of similar accidents. It is not the purpose of this activity to apportion blame or liability.

The following documents form the basis of the AAIA investigative powers and authority: