The Cabinet passed draft amendments to the organization act of the Aviation Safety Council, and proposed restructuring the agency into a national transportation safety board, Taiwan by the Aviation Safety Council (ASC) today, intending to extend the current independent investigation mode of aviation accidents to railways, maritime, and highways.

The ASC stated that the purpose of the transportation safety investigation is to avoid the recurrence of similar accidents and not to apportion blame or liabilities. Since its establishment, the ASC has conducted investigations on the aviation accidents of civil and public aircraft by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, which means that the parties involved with the investigation have the right and obligation to participate in the accident investigation. The ASC shall conduct the investigation and review the draft investigation report independently without the review by the Executive Yuan or other ministries. In addition, the ASC’s investigation procedure is open and transparent. After the investigation report is published, ASC will propose corresponding aviation safety recommendations based on the investigation conclusions, and work together with regulators, aviation operators, and aircraft manufacturers to address the probable causes and risk factors of the accident. A total of more than 1035 recommendations were proposed to improve flight safety effectively. Since the establishment of the ASC in 1998, the 10-year moving average hull lost accident rate of turbojets in Taiwan has dropped from 2.73 times/million departure 10 years ago and has dropped to the zero accident rate currently, effectively reduced in accident rate and mortality.

The ASC pointed out that after the 1021 railway accident, the painful lessons and the cost of precious life made the public increasingly request about the independent investigation of railway transportation accidents. The Dean of the Executive Yuan responded to the expectation of the people and declared to establish an independent transportation investigation agency. The ASC drafted a draft amendment to the "Aviation Safety Council Organization Act" and, after consulting with the Personnel Administration Office of the Executive Yuan, the Ministry of Communications and other relevant agencies, the name of the bill was amended to be the " National Transportation Safety Investigation Bpard Organization Act", together with the draft amendment to the "Transportation Accident Investigation Act" was submitted to the Cabinet today for discussion.

The ASC chairman said that after to build a safer and more comprehensive transport environment, the government will also establish the national transportation safety council to conduct independent, fair, and professional investigations of major transportation accidents on land, in the sea and in the air in Taiwan. It is necessary to reassure the safety of life and property of the people. After the adoption of the draft National Transportation Safety Investigation Board Organization Act and investigation Act by the Cabinet, the proposed amendment will be forwarded to the Legislature for review.

Sherry Liu, Engineer
Tel: 89127388-330 
Email:sherry@asc.gov.tw