DoD rethinking aviation mishaps

The Defense Department (DoD) is considering revisions to the dollar and damage levels that qualify an aircraft accident as a major mishap. Major aviation accidents are currently classified as Class A, B and C. Class A: More than $2M in damage, aircraft destroyed, or whether a pilot or crewman killed or totally disabled. Class B: Damage ranging from $500K to $2M, a crew member facing permanent partial disability, or three or more persons sent to the hospital. Class C: Damage is between $50K and $500K or an injury results in loss of time from duty. One of the main drivers of the proposed changes appear to be the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and similar future aircraft. When all F-35s are delivered, DoD will have nearly 2,500. The current cost of each F-35 ranges from about $90M to $115M (Marines’ F-35B). The F-35’s advanced coatings and sensors make small incidents, like towing accidents, rise to a Class A quickly. In April, Military Times reported that across the services, aviation mishaps had spiked by about 40 percent since FY 2013. Dan Grazier, a military fellow with the Project on Government Oversight, said any new classification system would need to ensure that older aircraft don’t get lost in the shuffle. “There are obviously issues with those mishaps that go beyond just the financial,” he told Military Times, and misidentifying small symptoms that could potentially turn into systemic problems. DoD confirmed in a memo in July 2018 that it’s looking at revising those categories as part of a larger effort to address military readiness and safety. The services were tasked with standing up four task forces: Leading Indicator, Lessons Learned, Mishap Classification, and Safety Data Reform to better reflect the expense of repairing advanced jets. But such changes could lead to less visibility into the actual state of aviation safety, government watchdogs cautioned. (Source: Military Times 03/03/19)