RMH 1-1

Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A)Introduction 11765 Pilots experience the joy of taking an aircraft and passengers on flights that are visually pleasing and productive. However, most pilots also know people who have had accidents or died while flying. 20849 By following the principles discussed in this handbook, pilots can: 20851 • Make safety of flight their top priority. 20852 • Fly with confidence. 20850 • Enjoy each trip to the fullest extent possible. Safety Management Systems in Aviation 11772 This Risk Management Handbook focuses on the individual and not on safety management systems (SMS). SMS addresses risk management from an organizational perspective as an ongoing activity. Interested persons may obtain information about SMS here. Accident Causality & Responsibility 11777 Both the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigate aviation accidents. The NTSB determines the probable cause(s) of accidents and makes recommendations, while the FAA determines if accidents reveal deficiencies in pilot training, aircraft certification, air traffic control, or other areas of FAA responsibility. During accident investigations, the two government entities usually receive assistance from other interested parties, such as aircraft manufacturers and operators. 20854 A review of the following accident report illustrates the role of the NTSB. The sidebar in Figure 1-1 is an excerpt from an NTSB final report of a fatal accident involving a single-engine airplane with a reciprocating engine. 11778 Figure 1-1. Sample NTSB final report. 11782 Key findings of the NTSB aviation accident final report, highlighted above in yellow, emphasize the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision to continue flight into known adverse weather conditions after the engine’s dry air vacuum pump failed and Chapter 1: Introduction to Risk Management