How do you learn from maintenance incidents and accidents?

2 How to analyze maintenance incidents and accidents?

The first step in learning from maintenance incidents and accidents is to conduct a thorough and objective analysis of what happened, why it happened, and how it can be prevented. You can use various tools and methods to collect, organize, and interpret the relevant data, such as event logs, checklists, interviews, inspections, and audits. Some of the most common analytical techniques are the 5 Whys, the Fishbone Diagram, and the Fault Tree Analysis.

3 How to report maintenance incidents and accidents?

The second step in learning from maintenance incidents and accidents is to communicate the results of your analysis to the relevant stakeholders, such as regulators, customers, and management. You should follow the applicable reporting standards and procedures, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Occurrence Reporting Regulation, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Service Difficulty Reporting System. You should also ensure that your reports are clear, concise, and accurate.

4 How to prevent maintenance incidents and accidents?

The third step in learning from maintenance incidents and accidents is to implement the necessary corrective and preventive actions to address the identified gaps and risks. You should prioritize the most critical and feasible actions, assign responsibilities and deadlines, and monitor their progress and effectiveness. You should also update your maintenance policies, procedures, and manuals to reflect the lessons learned and best practices.

5 How to share maintenance incidents and accidents?

The fourth step in learning from maintenance incidents and accidents is to share your findings and recommendations with other airlines, operators, and organizations. By doing so, you can contribute to the collective knowledge and improvement of the aviation industry. You can use various platforms and networks to disseminate your information, such as the Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) program, the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), and the Confidential Aviation Safety Reporting System (CASRS).

6 How to learn from maintenance incidents and accidents?

The fifth and final step in learning from maintenance incidents and accidents is to continuously evaluate and improve your maintenance performance and processes. You should establish and review key performance indicators (KPIs), such as reliability, availability, maintainability, and safety (RAMS). You should also conduct regular audits, surveys, and feedback sessions to identify strengths and weaknesses, and to foster a culture of learning and excellence.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?