Mishaps, Media and You!

Flying Safety, April, 2002 by George Col Clark, David C. Lt Col Talley, Jeffery A. CMSGT Moening

Your day starts out great with a short flight for some fun flying. Then things go wrong fast and the next thing you know you are floating down at the end of a parachute. As you look in the distance you see your "fun ride" impacting the earth below. After safely landing and ensuring all your body parts are still intact, now what? You see the neighborhood farmers and the local law enforcement officials coming to your aid, followed closely by the media. You know Safety and Accident Investigation Boards (SIB/AIB) will be convened and your actions and comments are going to be questioned. However, your first dilemma is that you have a local reporter, with camera crew in tow, sticking a microphone in your face. What do you say? What do you do? What happens if you give an interview? What are you legally required to do? Even you, the aircrew member, have rights when it comes to an interview, and here are some pointers from SAF/PA.

In interviews of a spontaneous nature, such as described above, you have the right:

* To just say no.

* To know who is interviewing you and whom he/she represents.

* To have total agreement by both parties of the ground rules, no matter how hastily arranged.

* To be treated courteously. The questions can be tough, but the reporter's demeanor should not be abusive.

* To have "off-the-record" comments, if previously expressed, honored. (As a rule, never say anything off-the-record unless you know and trust the reporter.)

* To not be physically threatened or hindered by hand-held lights too close or microphones shoved into your face.

* To break the interview off after a "reasonable" amount of time, but only after the important questions, as determined by you, have been answered.

Other tips that can help you are:

* Always consider yourself "on the record." Never say anything you don't want to see in print.

* Remember to speak the public's language; watch the acronyms and technical terms.

* Don't argue, as you won't win.

* If asked a question based on false data, protect and correct the record, and don't repeat false data or negative statements.

* Always answer honestly. If you don't know the answer, or the answer is classified or would invade someone's privacy, it's okay to say so.

Everyone wants to cooperate with the media and the Air Force has always taken a stance in line with the Secretary of Defense principles of public information and full disclosure/minimum delay standard. The key to this policy is that information is cleared by proper authority prior to release, to protect the rights of the individuals involved in the mishap. There are several Air Force instructions dealing with media relations and Air Force mishap investgations:

* API 35-101, Public Affairs Policies and Procedures

* AFI 91-204, Safety Investigations and Reports

* API 51-503, Aircraft, Missile, Nuclear, and Space Accident Investigations

What do you say to the reporter? First and foremost, you are under no obligation to talk to the media, and you should ALWAYS refer the press to Public Affairs (PA). This is a simple and easy rule to remember, and when you are "alone, unarmed and under the lights," simplicity works.

Second, everything you say to the media after the accident can be used against you. Once you make the information publicly known it is available to everyone, to include the investigation boards, so stick to the facts; don't speculate.

Third, anything you say to the media cannot be taken back. What you say to the media is or can be heard by other witnesses to the event and your words may influence their statements, which, once again, could jeopardize an investigation. The Air Force needs every witness's unvarnished statement to ensure we determine the cause(s) of an accident and prevent future mishaps.

Finally, you've just done a picture perfect PLF, you are all alone, except for the strangers rushing toward you, and neither PA, the Judge Advocate (JA) nor the board president is around to give you advice. Plus, you don't have all those APIs in your pocket. Stick to the basics! Remember, you don't have to say anything, and don't reveal anything that could later come back to haunt you. You can just say "Please talk to the base Public Affairs office."

It should be obvious, but after an aircraft accident, especially one involving property damage, injuries or loss of life, there is a legal minefield facing the aircrew member who gives an interview to the media without PA and JA help.

Aircrew and any other Air Force members should refrain from discussing any mishap as it relates to other members whose involvement has either not been established or is currently under investigation. This is prudent because your comments may mislead, confuse or prejudice the investigation. Witnesses have unique observations because they experience different elements or aspects of a mishap. If they read about what you saw or did during the mishap, they may be influenced by your testimony. That's one reason why accident investigators direct witnesses not to discuss their testimony with others.