2.5 Aircraft Documents, Maintenance Records & NTSB Part 830 Reporting
Key Takeaways
- Under 49 CFR 830.2, an aircraft accident occurs between boarding with intent of flight and disembarking and involves death, serious injury, or substantial damage to the aircraft.
- Under 49 CFR 830.5, the operator must notify the NTSB immediately after an accident or a listed serious incident, such as an in-flight fire or a flight control system failure.
- Under 49 CFR 830.15, the operator files NTSB Form 6120.1 within 10 days after an accident, or after 7 days if an overdue aircraft is still missing.
- Under 14 CFR 91.203, a civil aircraft must carry an airworthiness certificate displayed at the cabin or cockpit entrance and an effective registration certificate.
- Under 14 CFR 43.3(g), a Part 61 pilot other than a sport pilot may perform Appendix A preventive maintenance on an aircraft the pilot owns or operates outside Parts 121, 129, and 135.
Aircraft Documents, Maintenance Records & NTSB Part 830 Reporting
The aeronautical knowledge areas for the recreational, private, commercial, and sport pilot certificates all include the accident reporting requirements of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) alongside the applicable regulations (14 CFR 61.97(b)(2), 61.105(b)(2), 61.125(b)(2), 61.309(b)). On the AGI test these become short factual questions: which documents must be aboard, who keeps an aircraft airworthy, when an inspection is due, what counts as "substantial damage," and how fast the NTSB must hear about an occurrence. They are easy points if you learn the exact definitions.
Documents Required On Board
A civil aircraft may not be operated unless it carries an appropriate and current airworthiness certificate and an effective U.S. registration certificate (14 CFR 91.203(a)). The airworthiness certificate must be displayed at the cabin or cockpit entrance so that it is legible to passengers or crew (91.203(b)). Registration certificates issued under the current rule expire seven years after the last day of the month of issue (14 CFR 47.40). The aircraft must also carry its approved flight manual material, markings, and placards (91.9), and it must be operated within those limitations.
| Mnemonic (ARROW) | Document | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A | Airworthiness certificate, displayed | 14 CFR 91.203(a)(1), (b) |
| R | Registration certificate | 14 CFR 91.203(a)(2); 47.40 |
| R | Radio station license | FCC rule, needed only for international flights |
| O | Operating limitations: AFM/POH, markings, placards | 14 CFR 91.9 |
| W | Weight and balance data for the aircraft | Part of the approved manual material |
The pilot carries separate documents: the pilot certificate, a photo identification, and the medical qualification the flight requires (61.3). When a fuel tank has been installed in the passenger or baggage compartment, a copy of the FAA Form 337 for that installation must also be aboard (91.203(c)).
Who Keeps the Aircraft Airworthy?
Responsibility is split between the owner and the pilot:
- Owner or operator (91.403(a)): primarily responsible for maintaining the aircraft in an airworthy condition, including compliance with airworthiness directives (ADs) under Part 39.
- Pilot in command (91.7): responsible for determining whether the aircraft is in condition for safe flight, and must discontinue a flight when unairworthy mechanical, electrical, or structural conditions occur.
- Anyone who operates a product that does not meet an applicable AD is in violation of 14 CFR 39.7, so the pilot cannot rely on the owner alone.
After maintenance, the aircraft may not be operated until a person authorized under 43.7 approves it for return to service and the record entry is made (91.407(a)). If the work may have appreciably changed flight characteristics, no passengers may be carried until a pilot holding at least a private pilot certificate flies an operational check and logs it in the aircraft records (91.407(b)).
Maintenance Records (91.417)
The owner or operator keeps two kinds of records:
- Work records (91.417(a)(1)): descriptions of maintenance, preventive maintenance, alterations, and required inspections, with the date and the signature and certificate number of the person approving return to service. These are kept until the work is repeated or superseded, or for 1 year after the work.
- Status records (91.417(a)(2)): total time in service of the airframe, each engine, propeller, and rotor; status of life-limited parts; time since overhaul; current inspection status; and current AD status, including the method of compliance, AD number and revision date, and the next due time for recurring ADs. These transfer with the aircraft when it is sold.
Preventive Maintenance by Pilots
Under 14 CFR 43.3(g), the holder of a Part 61 pilot certificate (other than a sport pilot certificate) may perform preventive maintenance on an aircraft the pilot owns or operates, provided the aircraft is not used under Part 121, 129, or 135. A sport pilot may do so only on an aircraft the pilot owns or operates that holds a light-sport category special airworthiness certificate. The allowed tasks are listed in Part 43, Appendix A(c): examples include removing, installing, and repairing landing gear tires, servicing shock struts with oil or air, replenishing hydraulic fluid, replacing safety belts, and replacing position and landing light bulbs. The pilot must make a maintenance record entry with a description of the work, the completion date, and the signature, certificate number, and kind of certificate of the person approving it (43.9(a)).
NTSB Part 830: The Definitions That Decide Everything
Whether the NTSB must be called depends on precise definitions in 49 CFR 830.2:
- Aircraft accident: an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft, between the time any person boards with the intention of flight and the time all such persons have disembarked, in which any person suffers death or serious injury, or the aircraft receives substantial damage.
- Fatal injury: an injury that results in death within 30 days of the accident.
- Serious injury: an injury that requires hospitalization for more than 48 hours, starting within 7 days; fractures any bone except simple fractures of fingers, toes, or nose; causes severe hemorrhages or nerve, muscle, or tendon damage; involves any internal organ; or involves second- or third-degree burns, or any burns affecting more than 5 percent of the body surface.
- Substantial damage: damage or failure that adversely affects the structural strength, performance, or flight characteristics of the aircraft and would normally require major repair or replacement of the affected component. The rule specifically excludes engine failure or damage limited to one engine, bent fairings or cowling, dented skin, small punctured holes in the skin or fabric, ground damage to rotor or propeller blades, and damage to landing gear, wheels, tires, flaps, engine accessories, brakes, or wingtips.
- Incident: an occurrence other than an accident that affects or could affect the safety of operations.
Immediate Notification (49 CFR 830.5)
The operator must notify the nearest NTSB office immediately and by the most expeditious means available (the NTSB Response Operations Center is at 844-373-9922) when an aircraft accident occurs, when an aircraft is overdue and believed to have been involved in an accident, or when any of these serious incidents occurs:
| Serious Incident (830.5(a)) | Applies To |
|---|---|
| Flight control system malfunction or failure | All aircraft |
| Inability of a required flight crewmember to perform normal duties because of injury or illness | All aircraft |
| Failure of an internal turbine engine component with debris escaping other than out the exhaust path | Turbine engines |
| In-flight fire | All aircraft |
| Aircraft collision in flight | All aircraft |
| Damage to property other than the aircraft estimated to exceed $25,000 | All aircraft |
| Release of all or part of a propeller blade (not caused solely by ground contact) | Propeller aircraft |
| Complete loss of information from more than 50% of cockpit displays (EFIS, EICAS, ECAM) | Glass cockpits |
| Damage to helicopter tail or main rotor blades requiring major repair or replacement | Helicopters |
| Electrical or hydraulic failures requiring backup systems, loss of thrust from two or more engines, or an evacuation using an emergency egress system | Multiengine aircraft over 12,500 lb |
The notification should include, if available, the aircraft type, nationality, and registration; owner, operator, and pilot in command; date and time; last departure point and intended landing; position; persons aboard, killed, and seriously injured; the nature of the accident, weather, and damage; and any dangerous articles carried (830.6).
Wreckage, Records & Reports (830.10 and 830.15)
- Preservation: The operator must preserve wreckage, cargo, mail, and all records, including flight and voice recorders, until the NTSB takes custody or releases them. Wreckage may be moved only to remove injured or trapped persons, to protect the wreckage from further damage, or to protect the public from injury; if it must be moved, make sketches, notes, and photographs where possible.
- Accident report: File NTSB Form 6120.1 within 10 days after an accident, or after 7 days if an overdue aircraft is still missing. Each crewmember who is physically able attaches a statement of the facts.
- Incident report: For a serious incident requiring immediate notification, a written report is filed only if the NTSB requests it.
Scenario for Teaching the Definitions
A private pilot taxiing at night strikes a hangar door with a wingtip. The wingtip is crushed and the hangar door needs $31,000 of repairs; nobody is hurt. Is this an accident? No: wingtip damage is specifically excluded from "substantial damage," and there were no injuries. Must the NTSB be notified? Yes, because damage to property other than the aircraft exceeds $25,000, a listed serious incident. The pilot notifies the NTSB immediately and files a written report only if asked.
Under 49 CFR 830.2, which of the following would be classified as substantial damage to an aircraft?
During a local flight with no injuries, a pilot extinguishes a small electrical fire behind the instrument panel and lands normally with only minor damage. What does 49 CFR Part 830 require?
What are the written reporting deadlines in 49 CFR 830.15 after an aircraft accident and for an overdue aircraft?
A private pilot owns a Cessna 182 used only for personal flights. Under 14 CFR 43.3(g) and 43.9, which statement about cleaning and replacing the spark plugs and setting their gap is correct?