HC Deb 23 May 1988 vol 134 cc38-9W
Mr. Wray

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the criteria which objectively determine when an aircraft accident is a major or a minor one.

Mr. Freeman

Damage to aircraft is categorised as follows:

Incidents

  1. (a) Category 1—the damage is repairable on site by established first line personnel.1
  2. (b) Category 2—the damage is repairable on site by established second line personnel.2

Accidents

  1. (c) Category 3—the damage is repairable on site but is beyond unit technical resources. Assistance from a repair and salvage unit or civilian contractor is required.
  2. (d) Category 4—the damage is not repairable on site. The aircraft must be removed to an established depot or civilian repair organisation.
  3. (e) Category 5—the aircraft is damaged beyond repair or is missing, or, in accordance with current Ministry of Defence policy, is not worth repairing.

A minor accident is defined as one where the aircraft damage is classifed as category 3. A major accident is defined as one where the aircraft damage is either category 4 or 5.

1 First line personnel conduct before flight, after flight and turnround servicing including minor component changes.

2 Second line conduct deeper servicing, including major component changes and structural repair.

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