{"id":53625,"date":"2019-03-01T19:18:52","date_gmt":"2019-03-01T19:18:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/03\/01\/dod-is-rethinking-what-defines-a-major-aviation-accident\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T08:44:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T08:44:29","slug":"dod-is-rethinking-what-defines-a-major-aviation-accident","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/03\/01\/dod-is-rethinking-what-defines-a-major-aviation-accident\/","title":{"rendered":"DoD is rethinking what defines a major aviation accident"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Pentagon is considering revisions to the dollar amounts and damage levels that qualify an aircraft accident<\/a> as a major mishap to better reflect the expense of repairing advanced jets. But such changes could lead to less visibility into the actual state of aviation safety, government watchdogs cautioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major aviation accidents are currently classified as Class A, B and C mishaps.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class A mishaps occur when there\u2019s more than $2 million in damage to the aircraft, the aircraft is destroyed, or its pilot or crew is killed or permanently, totally disabled. Class B mishaps are recorded when aircraft damage ranges from $500,000 to $2 million, a crew member faces permanent partial disability, or three or more persons are sent to the hospital due to the accident. Class C incidents, the least serious of the top three categories, occurs when damage is between $50,000 and $500,000 or an injury results in loss of time from work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the main drivers of the proposed change appears to be the F-35 joint strike fighter and future advance aircraft like it. As of Thursday, when the Navy certified the F-35C carrier variant, F-35s are now operational across the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. When all F-35s are delivered, the Pentagon will have almost 2,500 of the fifth-generation stealth fighters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently, the cost of each aircraft ranges from about $90 million for the Air Force\u2019s F-35A to about $115 million for the Marine Corps\u2019 F-35B short take-off and vertical-landing variant. The aircraft\u2019s advanced coatings and sensors make even small incidents, such as towing accidents, rise to a Class A threshold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat is definitely something we are talking to the other services about,\u201d said Air Force Chief of Safety Maj. Gen. John Rauch. \u201cAs we fly these more expensive airplanes \u2014 once again, very cognizant of the effect of taxpayer dollars that it takes\u201d for repairs \u2014 \u201cwe want to make sure we categorize the right thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Marine Corps<\/a> \u201cis actively working with an OSD-led task force to improve mishap classifications to be able to better correlate mishaps with causes and readiness,” said spokesman Capt. Christopher Harrison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRegardless of potential changes to the mishap classification method, the Marine Corps remains committed to ensuring the safety of our aircrews and the air worthiness of all our aircraft,” Harrison said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In April, the Military Times reported that across the services, aviation mishaps had spiked almost 40 percent <\/a>since fiscal year 2013 for their fighters, bombers and tanker aircraft. In the weeks that followed, Congress cited the work as it looked more closely for root causes and now House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., sponsored legislation to establish a national commission <\/a>to investigate the state of military aviation safety.<\/p>\n\n\n