Lessons learned at an aircraft mishapsite

Combat Edge, Sept, 2004 by Todd Parish

many ground safety professionals think they will not be called on to respond to an aircraft mishap. Actually, Ground Safety should be and often is involved from the start by planning, laying out, and developing the mishap site. After the site is organized, ground safety should remain on scene observing operations and overseeing workers' activities to help prevent another mishap from occurring.

Since arriving at Luke, I have responded to multiple aircraft mishaps. No two were alike; but I have discovered several common themes, and I can share a few lessons learned.

Do your homework: Review lessons learned, Operation Orders, and Situation Reports from previous crashes. Quite often Crash Recovery Teams (CRTs) can save hours of planning by going over these records. Use them and ensure you pass on this information to future teams by listing key facts of your recovery effort like conditions, procedures and equipment used, and time expended.

Mishap kit: Most Ground Safety offices already have a mishap response kit. Augment it with the following personal items: a cell phone with a vehicle and a household charger, a change of clothes, headgear, a camelback or other hydration system, a fold-up chair, a camera, and hygiene items to include sun block and baby powder. Yes baby powder! It has a million and one uses, all of which make being in the heat, dust, and brush a bit more bearable.

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Take your time: Do not overlook this important step. The initial instinct is to run to the site, but if you can suppress this, you will be rewarded later. There is no reason to rush to a crash site unless environmental factors are going to destroy vital evidence. A good crash recovery team needs time to assemble, devise an effective response, and talk over the operation before heading out the door.

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Control access to the mishap site: When a major mishap occurs, it seems every office on base tries to send a representative to the crash site. Too many people interfere with the tasks at hand, so ensure only personnel with duty requirements are allowed on the crash site.

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Convoy procedures: Once essential personnel are identified, they should travel in a convoy to the site following a predetermined route. Each driver should have a map to the scene and a method for contacting other drivers. Each team member should be listed by name/unit and should check on and off base through one established office. Do not make the mistake of having multiple checking and send-out points or you will quickly lose control of your site.

As a safety advisor, you should be as near to the front of the convoy as possible and have mobile maintenance in the rear. This allows you to lead the convoy keeping speeds in check and allows mobile maintenance to assist those with mechanical problems.

En route: Travel at speeds agreeable to the slowest response vehicle. Bear in mind, many of the response vehicles have not been off base at highway speeds in a long while. Bringing a convoy onto freeways and highways is tricky at best. All vehicles should merge onto the freeway and pull to the far right after a mile or so of travel to allow others to catch up. DO NOT try reassembling the convoy immediately after entering the freeway. This causes a huge bottleneck and could cause a serious mishap.

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Make frequent and planned stops. At each stop check the gear stowed on large trucks and flatbeds to ensure everything is still secure. Why so many stops? If your crash site is at a remote location, services provided by gas stations and rest stops will be invaluable. Think about it ...

Arrival: Once you arrive at a crash site the natural tendency is to take a look and immediately focus on the smoking hole. Don't! You'll have enough time later to take pictures and such. Spend your first few hours setting up a proper base camp. Face all vehicles away from the crash site; that way if there is a need to get up and go quickly, you can. Also place hydration stations in several locations in the camp.

Keep the mishap prevention hat on: Get with the on-scene commander and find out what he wants your roles and responsibilities to be. Don't solely focus on the investigation at hand. Watch the people, the trucks, and the forklifts staying focused on mishap prevention. I have seen people wearing full respirators and body suits to protect against chemicals and composite fibers working right next to a fellow with only a tank top and BDU to protect him. And they were only 2 feet apart! Someone needs to think safety because most folks there are thinking only about recovery.

Control the crash site: Work with the commander to preserve the crash site. Many teams of people will go out to the site before the interim board even assembles. There will be crews working separately on hydrazine, composite fibers, and unexploded ordnances to name a few. Know each of their roles, and help the on-scene commander control the sequencing and flow of the teams to the mishap site.