Cobble Hills Fighter Group Reportable Occurrence Process
Applicability
Each individual MAAC member shall read and follow the MAAC “reportable occurrence” reporting procedures contained in this document. Mandatory reporting requirements cannot be deferred to a Club official or other person.
Do not use this process for Club, local or interpersonal issues. The mandatory aspect is for reporting any issues between MAAC and non-MAAC aviation/persons/property.
Background
To meet our regulatory compliance requirements and foster a more fulsome culture of Safety in all MAAC operations, MAAC has adopted a new Safety issue reporting process in MPPD 03 – ReportableOccurrence Policy.
The key points for members to note are:
- The policy applies to ALL categories of MAAC modelling – RPAS, C/L, FF, Space modelling
and surface vehicles. - The policy provides clear definitions and distinction between an accident (something did
happen), an incident (something almost happened) and hazards (something might happen). - You must report accidents and incidents involving any MAAC operation and a non-MAAC
person, aircraft, or other items of value. - You are not required to report the “normal” inter-MAAC issues such as model crashes, personal injury, or damage to Club property.
- The policy and reporting requirements are completely independent of any insurance reporting
– this process is not linked in any fashion to whether an insurance claim is required or submitted.
The policy is not punitive in nature – no member will be disciplined for proper utilization of the
reportable occurrence process. Failure to report mandatory items may result in discipline as
MAAC must keep a “list” of accidents and incidents and report to Transport Canada if
requested.
Reportable Occurrences – General explanation
In layman’s terms, there are 3 tiers of severity for members to use the “reportable occurrence” form and process:
Accident – something did happen – someone got hurt/died, a full-scale airplane was involved/damaged, or something of value was damaged because of MAAC model activities. You must report a MAAC member fatality resulting from model operations but reporting a MAAC member injury is optional.
Incident – something almost happened – someone almost got hurt, a full-scale airplane was almost involved/damaged, or something of value was almost damaged because of MAAC model activities. Basically, report any near miss or close call.
Hazards – “one of these days, something might happen because of XXXX ” – this is for those issues where the member genuinely believes if MAAC does not address a safety related issue, there is a strong chance an incident or accident might occur. Basically, report the future potential for an accident or incident.
Reporting of Accidents
- Refer to “MAAC Procedures for after an Accident” for the immediate response items
- As soon as practical, members should inform the a club executive (Jeff Truemner, Mike Irwin,or Bobby Charchanko) for support and ensuring appropriate steps are completed
- MAAC requires each involved member to complete an accident occurrence report as
soon as possible after the accident occurs. - Submit completed forms directly to MAAC National Office either electronically or via Canada Post.
- Note any situation resulting in an actual insurance claim must be reported separately using the insurance reporting process and forms.
Reporting of Incidents
- MAAC expects all members to report any incidents within a reasonable timeframe after the event. For clarity it is perfectly acceptable to have a conversation with those involved to gain understanding of exactly what occurred before deciding whether to submit a report.
- As soon as practical, members should inform the a club executive (Jeff Truemner, Mike Irwin,or Bobby Charchanko) for support and ensuring appropriate steps are completed
- Complete the Reportable Occurrence form and submit directly to MAAC National Office as soon as possible. A single occurrence report per incident is acceptable providing it lists all members involved.
Reporting hazards
- The last tier is a completely voluntary and is a generic “hazard” which can be used for anything the observer genuinely feels might be or is unsafe – within reason – and that MAAC leaders and decision makers should know about. If the definitions of an accident or incident are met however, then those mandatory processes must be followed by the member.
- Members should report generic “hazards” as soon as possible after the situation or hazard is identified. This is required to allow all involved an opportunity to recall the situations specifics and collect fresh supporting information. Completed forms shall be sent directly to MAAC National Office.
- Although members are not obliged to inform club leadership, they should feel free to do so if the hazard is something that can be remediated at the field level
- If there is any doubt, default to reporting the situation to be on the “safe side”. MAAC can adjust the classification after careful consideration of issues received
Additional Documentation
For more details specific to the MAAC Reportable Occurrence Policy, including a glossary of terms, please see: