Korean J Aerosp Environ Med.  1997 Sep;7(3):19-22.

Suggested Protocol for Investigation of Airplane Crash

• Park HY

Abstract

It has become our common knowledge nowadays that the airplane crash occurs so often in late years. as the aviation transportation is in wide use for both domestic and international travels. The following operational protocol is suggested based on my personal experience with investigation of the Air Manila crash we had here on Guam in 1976 killing 46 people plus the lessons we learned from United Airlines Flight 232, a wide-bodied DC-10 crash at Sioux City, iowa, in July 1989, killing 112 people. Whenever we encounter such a disaster, we tend to be apprehensive and we do not know what to start off first. The most important thing is to calm down and make a well-thought-out plan by forming a disaster management team. The main purpose of the operation is first to give medical aids to those survivors, then identify the deceased, determine the cause of death, investigate into the cause of crash, protect the valuable personal properties of the passengers, and finally to find ways to prevent such tragedy in the future. In this regard, we should pay attention to the pilots and maintenance crew of the aircraft. Following this, we must field any mechanical defects of aircraft with a high index of suspicion for a possible sabotage, i .c. deliberate destruction of the airplane with an explosive device. The following is a step-by-step plan which I strongly recommend in the event of an airplane disaster.

MeSH Terms

Aircraft*
Aviation
Cause of Death
Disasters
Guam
Homicide
Humans
Iowa
Survivors
Transportation