C E R T A L E R T

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ADVISORY  * CAUTIONARY  * NON-DIRECTIVE

AIRPORT SAFETY AND OPERATIONS DIVISION, AAS-300
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DATE:		25 April 2002					NO.  02-03

TOPIC:		AIR CARRIER ACCIDENT CRITIQUE 
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BACKGROUND:

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found a 14 CFR part 139 certificated airport did not conduct a post accident, interagency emergency response critique shortly after an accident occurred. (See NTSB Safety Recommendation #A-01-67)  The airport did not complete individual critiques with all of the agencies involved with the emergency response and a group critique with some of these agencies until nine months after the accident.  The NTSB report recommends that the FAA amend 14 CFR part 139 to require the holder of an airport operating certificate to develop a written critique within 60 days after each accident involving a covered air carrier.

In response to this recommendation, the FAA has added this issue to the agenda of the ARAC ARFF Requirements Working Group to review this recommendation in conjunction with its review of all of the 14 CFR part 139 ARFF requirements.  In the interim the FAA is issuing this CERTALERT.  

ACTION:
The FAA encourages airport operators to critique each accident that takes place on their airports within 60 days after each accident involving an air carrier.  If a post accident interagency emergency response critique is held in a timely manner after an aviation accident, participants will be able to take immediate actions to rectify any identified deficiencies.  Further such critiques will help airport operators make a more efficient and safer response to future accidents and incidents that occur on their airport. Advisory Circular 150/5200-31A, Airport Emergency Plan, Appendix 2, provides an Airport Emergency Plan Exercise Evaluation Checklist that can be used when performing a post accident critique.

In addition, airports that have experienced an aircraft accident and exercised a substantial portion of their Airport Emergency Plan related to, or as would respond to, an air carrier accident can substitute this accident for the full-scale exercise.  If such a substitution is made, the certificate holder should conduct a critique of their performance during the accident.

If you have any questions or comments relating to this CERTALERT, please contact Winsome Lenfert at (202) 267-8729 or winsome.a.lenfert@faa.gov.

_________OSB__ _____________                                                           25 April 2002
   Benedict D. Castellano, Manager                                                                  Date
Airport Safety and Operations Division

DISTRIBUTION:  CERTALERT Distribution List