Occurrence report form

This form is to be used by pilots using Blackbushe Airport to report occurrences to the Airport Safety Team. This form can be used to report issues of which we’re not yet aware, or to add a pilot account to an existing occurrence report where requested by Blackbushe.

You might choose to make an occurrence report for:

  • Mandatory Occurrence Reports (these will also need to be filed using ECCAIRS within 72 hours)

  • Voluntary Occurrence Reports (anything else you might have encountered when using Blackbushe)

  • Anonymous Occurrence Reports (if you must, but by providing your details it allows us to contact you to find out more and deal with your report more effectively).

  • Airprox (these also need to be reported to the ATS unit you were in contact with at the time, and via the Airprox Board website)

  • Birdstrike (should also be filed as an MOR using the ECCAIRS portal)

  • Wake Turbulence

Mandatory Occurrence Reports

Where you make a mandatory occurrence report for something such as an Airprox, Birdstrike, or Wake Turbulence to the CAA, please also submit a copy to us using this form. We are often asked by the CAA to provide our own information, but this can be days or weeks later. In order that our team can preserve data (and their memory of the occurrence), please do us the courtesy of reporting to us at the same time.

What Happens to Reports?

On completing this form, it will be sent to the airport safety team, who will review it and ensure it is recorded on the Occurrence Log. They may be in touch to ask for additional information regarding the occurrence, or to discuss any outcomes from any safety investigations.

If the report is serious, or requires some immediate action, please also contact the Airport Tower to ensure it receives immediate attention.

Occurrence Investigations

Blackbushe records 400-600 occurrences every year. These include everything from aircraft accidents / incidents, Airprox, FOD, down to smaller issues like incorrect squawk settings. Most of these occurrences are VORs.

Each report is assessed. Some can be closed on receipt, others require a basic response, and some will trigger a full safety investigation. For investigations, Blackbushe is solely focussed on the actions / omissions of our staff and the effectiveness of our procedures. We do not have any desire or authority to ‘punish’ pilots.

When we investigate occurrences, we are trying to establish if there is anything we (the airport) could have done differently, or anything we can do in the future to prevent a re-occurrence. We will often ask for pilot reports in these circumstances to provide another perspective on the occurrence.

Investigations are kept internally, but may be provided to other airport users in an anonymised form in the interest of improving safety at the airport. Our safety reports and data are available to the CAA when the audit us annually. Where we are required to conduct a full unit investigation for a MOR such as an Airprox or Airspace Infringement, your account may be included in our report when submitted to the CAA.