The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Half of International Air Accident Probes Lack Final Reports
Industry groups say delays in publishing investigation findings limit opportunities to improve aviation safety.
Nearly half of commercial aviation accidents tracked by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) from 2018 through 2023 lacked completed investigations, according to figures highlighted Thursday at the International Aviation Safety Summit in Montreal. A 2025 submission to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) found that only 140 of 268 qualifying accidents had completed investigations.
The figures cover commercial passenger and cargo operations involving turbine-powered aircraft weighing at least 12,540 pounds, subject to IATA’s accident criteria.
“I’d have expected to see more efforts to improve the current state of affairs,” Mark Searle, IATA’s global director of safety, told Reuters. “I don’t think 50% is acceptable.”
International Reporting Standards
Under ICAO’s Annex 13, investigating authorities are expected to publish final accident reports within 12 months when possible. If an investigation remains incomplete after a year, authorities must release an interim statement detailing their progress and any identified safety concerns on each anniversary of the accident. Final reports provide findings on the circumstances and contributing factors of accidents, along with recommendations intended to prevent similar occurrences.
Findings From Safety Organizations
A separate safety report released by the Flight Safety Foundation in February found that final reports had been published for approximately 58% of airline accidents between 2020 and 2024. That figure dropped to 41% for fatal accidents during the same period. The report used a different dataset from IATA’s figures. IATA’s March 2026 safety report also cited a 63% investigation completion rate for accidents occurring between 2019 and 2023.
Several high-profile investigations remain without final reports, including the June 2025 Air India accident in Ahmedabad that killed 260 people. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau issued an interim statement on the accident’s first anniversary, confirming that additional analysis was underway. A publication date for the final report has not been confirmed.
Industry organizations like IATA have expressed that delayed findings can prevent operators, manufacturers and regulators from identifying hazards and implementing measures to reduce the risk of future accidents.