Questioning ASRS

NASA AVIATION SAFETY REPORTING SYSTEM

I keep seeing individuals telling others to go and fill out NASA ASRS form for safety. I'm not sure how filling out the form will make you safer. You either made a one time mistake (that you have recognized yourself and hopefully learned from) or you planned on flying the way you stated.

I first thought that if you filled out the form you couldn't be violated by the FAA, but after reading the info on the NASA site it only states that the info you provide to them cannot be used against you. It doesn't say you can't be violated for your act, if they have other information or someone reporting you, you are busted!

I'm always up for learning about something new, but I just don't understand this real purpose of this form. In my life experiences it is never good to get the Government involved in you personal business, especially if you have done something wrong.

curtis said:

NASA AVIATION SAFETY REPORTING SYSTEM

I keep seeing individuals telling others to go and fill out NASA ASRS form for safety. I'm not sure how filling out the form will make you safer. You either made a one time mistake (that you have recognized yourself and hopefully learned from) or you planned on flying the way you stated.

I first thought that if you filled out the form you couldn't be violated by the FAA, but after reading the info on the NASA site it only states that the info you provide to them cannot be used against you. It doesn't say you can't be violated for your act, if they have other information or someone reporting you, you are busted!

I'm always up for learning about something new, but I just don't understand this real purpose of this form. In my life experiences it is never good to get the Government involved in you personal business, especially if you have done something wrong.

Click to expand...

The incentive is this:

The FAA considers the filing of a report with NASA concerning an incident or occurrence involving a violation of 49 U.S.C. subtitle VII or the 14 CFR to be indicative of a constructive attitude. Such an attitude will tend to prevent future violations. Accordingly, although a finding of violation may be made, neither a civil penalty nor certificate suspension will be imposed if:

1. The violation was inadvertent and not deliberate;

2. The violation did not involve a criminal offense, accident, or action under 49 U.S.C. ? 44709, which discloses a lack of qualification or competency, which is wholly excluded from this policy;

3. The person has not been found in any prior FAA enforcement action to have committed a violation of 49 U.S.C. subtitle VII, or any regulation promulgated there for a period of 5 years prior to the date of occurrence; and

4. The person proves that, within 10 days after the violation, or date when the person became aware or should have been aware of the violation, he or she completed and delivered or mailed a written report of the incident or occurrence to NASA.

Click to expand...

Just filling out the form may not make you any safer, but it might just save you from fines or a suspension/revocation of your license. It may also be read by others (see the Callback monthly publication) and hopefully learned from.

These kinds of self-reporting programs, when properly administered and the lessons learned publicized, have repeatedly shown themselves effective at reducing accidents and mistakes in many industries.

Filling out the form potentially helps others.

Has anyone ever gotten dinged for writing "I.Learned About Flying From That" articles?

Aviation Safety Reporting

My experience is as follows: fill out the form if you do something unplanned that was a bit dumb. If contacted by the FAA... go see them or call. The AOPA might tell you that you have no obligation to do so... not such good advice.
Probably not wise to mention that you filled out the ASRS form.
If the result is just a chat and a warning... let it go. Learn from it.
If you are issued a penalty, you can then mention the report. BTW, save the return strip you get in the mail. It is your only proof that you reported within the ten days. A warning will be expunged in two years... and the event plus talk with the FAA is a good review anyway.
The NASA escape from penalty, if used, starts the clock ticking. You cannot use the same clause again for five years. Judicious use is the best course.
They no longer mail out the blue sheet summary due to the cost. But, you can sign up for the Callback. It is emailed periodically to those on the list.
Very valuable reading and lessons learned from a wide variety of aviators.
Airline pilots do not hesitate to file NASA reports. Be safe out there.

Learning is the aim

The important part is how the information is then processed and passed on to the other pilots so they may benefit from other's experiences.

In your lifetime as a pilot you won't be able to make all the known errors and learn from them, you have also to learn from other pilot's experiences;

At my airline I used to tell entry level pilots that their whole carreer experience over 30 years (if possible) in terms of take-offs, landings, sectors... was the equivalent of one week of airline operations, so they have to learn from others and one way is the Safety Reporting System.

Once, at night and at an unfamiliar airport, I went across a hold line into a runway environment. Not good. Tower said don't worry about it - not a problem. I filled out the form anyway and was pleasantly surprised some months later when at that same airport, coming off the ramp and looking in the direction of my infraction, the pavement markings and signage had considerably improved. I don't know how many of those reports it took from pilots, but the system kicked in with a noticeable improvement.

Overall I think it's a good program and support it. I can't cite any first hand experience, but this program and participation in Wings does seem to make a difference when people wind up chatting with FAA in this area.

Dan