When is an aircraft collision considered an incident, rather than an accident?

An aircraft collision is classified as an incident rather than an accident when there are no injuries and when both aircraft are able to return safely to land. This classification is significant in aviation law, as it pertains to the severity of the event and regulatory reporting requirements.

When an aircraft collision occurs but does not result in injuries to people on board and does not cause significant damage to the aircrafts involved, it generally falls under the category of an incident. The distinction between an incident and an accident is crucial for aviation safety and regulatory purposes. For example, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) defines an accident as an event resulting in serious injury or fatality, or damage to the aircraft beyond a certain threshold. Therefore, if neither of these conditions is met, the event is considered an incident.

If both aircraft return to land safely, this indicates that the event did not escalate to a level that jeopardized the safety of the flight or led to serious consequences, further reinforcing the classification as an incident. In essence, all these factors—absence of injuries, lack of significant damage, and successful landing—combine to support the conclusion that the event is an incident, not an accident. Thus, the comprehensive nature of these criteria justifies the choice that encompasses all