Hooey, Becky

NASA Technical Reports Server

October 23 - 25, 2018
NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System
(ASRS)
Becky Hooey
Program Director, NASA ASRS
NASA Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, California, USA
Becky.L.Hooey@NASA.gov
ICASS 2018
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20190002751 2019-08-30T21:48:14+00:00Z
October 20182
ASRS Purpose and Mission Mandate
Identify deficiencies and discrepancies 
in the National Airspace System 
Provide data for planning and 
improvements to the future National 
Airspace System 
Mandated scope in original Federal Register Notice, FAA Advisory Circulars, 
FAA/NASA MOA(s) and IAA(s). Largely determines program priorities.
2
October 2018
ASRS Principles
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION
Aviation personnel voluntarily submit reports concerning events related to 
safety for the purpose of system alerting, understanding and learning
CONFIDENTIALITY PROTECTION
Protection of identity is provided by NASA through de-identification of 
persons, companies, and any other identifying information
INDEPENDENT
Necessary for trust building and unbiased dissemination of safety information
NON-PUNITIVE
FAA will not use, nor will NASA provide, any report submitted for inclusion 
under ASRS guidelines or information derived therein for use in any 
disciplinary or other adverse action (14 CFR 91.25 & AC 00-46E)
3
October 2018
The Immunity Concept
Paragraph 9. c. FAA Advisory Circular No. 00-46E 
c. Enforcement Restrictions. The FAA considers the filing of a report with NASA 
concerning an incident or occurrence involving a violation of 49 U.S.C. subtitle VII 
or the 14 CFR to be indicative of a constructive attitude. Such an attitude will 
tend to prevent future violations. Accordingly, although a finding of violation may 
be made, neither a civil penalty nor certificate suspension will be imposed if:
1. The violation was inadvertent and not deliberate; 
2. The violation did not involve a criminal offense, accident, or action under 49 
U.S.C.  44709, which discloses a lack of qualification or competency, which is 
wholly excluded from this policy; 
3. The person has not been found in any prior FAA enforcement action to have 
committed a violation of 49 U.S.C. subtitle VII, or any regulation promulgated there 
for a period of 5 years prior to the date of occurrence; and 
4. The person proves that, within 10 days after the violation, or date when the person 
became aware or should have been aware of the violation, he or she completed and 
delivered or mailed a written report of the incident or occurrence to NASA. 
Aviation Safety Reporting System 4
ASRS Program Overview
October 2018
ASRS Metrics and 
Report Processing
5
October 2018
Report Processing Flow
6
October 2018
Report Processing Flow
Direct Reports (Electronic and Paper)
ASAP and ATSAP Reports (Electronic and Paper)
7
October 2018
Monthly Intake
January 1981 – September 2018
ASRS Report Volume Profile
§ Over 42 years of 
confidential safety 
reporting
§ Total report intake for 
2017 was 94,302
§ Over 8,172 reports per 
month, or 389 per 
working day
§ Current rate estimate for 
2018 is over 98,500
1981 2018
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October 2018
Report Intake Source (ALL)
January 2017 – September 2018
n = 167,852
9
October 2018
Incident Reporter Distribution
January 2017 – September 2018
n = 167,852
10
October 2018
Report Processing Flow
11
October 2018
Alert Messages Reporter Type 
January 2018 – September 2018
4ASRS issued a total of 163 Alert and FYI 
messages between Jan 2018 and Sept 
2018
4Content selected by Expert Analysts
4Every alert is reviewed by the Director
4Alert recipients are invited to provide 
feedback to comment on actions taken
12
October 2018
Report Processing Flow
13
October 2018
Incidence of ASRS Multiple Reports
100%
§ Provides information from more than one person’s 
perspective on a single event
14
October 2018
Report Processing Flow
Comprehensive and Time-Tested Coding Taxonomy
15
October 2018
ASRS – Examples of Coded Anomaly Types
January 2017 – September 2018
n = 167,852
*Categories are not mutually exclusive.
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October 2018
Report Processing Flow
17
October 2018
ASRS Letter to Incident Reporter
§ Every report to the 
ASRS returns an 
Identification Strip to 
the mailing address 
provided
§ Manual, context-
dependent, de-
identification of report 
narratives and fixed-
field codes
18
October 2018
Report Processing Flow
ASRS Report Records Are Public:
§Direct request to ASRS Office via website “Contact Us”, email, or phone
§Direct Access to Database Online (DBOL)
19
October 2018
ASRS Database Online
Direct access to search de-identified reports in the ASRS 
database is available through ASRS Database Online 
(DBOL) at https://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/search/database.html. 
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ASRS Database
§ Over 1,486 queries are 
completed each month
§ More than 211,170 DBOL 
queries completed since 
its launch in July 2006
§ FAA is the most frequent 
requestor, also academia, 
research, government, air 
carriers
October 2018
Report Processing Flow
21
October 2018
ASRS Products
§ These products and services fulfill the programs 
mission to disseminate safety data
ALERT 
MESSAGES
QUICK 
RESPONSES
ASRS 
DATABASE
CALLBACK 
NEWSLETTER
SPECIAL 
STUDIES
Safety information 
issued to 
organizations in 
positions of authority 
for evaluation and 
possible corrective 
actions.
Rapid data analysis 
by ASRS staff on 
safety issues with 
immediate operational 
importance generally 
limited to government 
agencies.
The public ASRS 
Database Online and 
data available in 
Database Report Sets 
or Search Requests 
full filled by ASRS 
staff.
Monthly newsletter 
with a lessons learned 
format, available via 
website and email.
Studies/Research 
conducted on safety 
topics of interest in 
cooperation with 
aviation organizations.
+ Monthly FAA Telecons
+ Semi-Annual Briefings at Aviation Industry Symposium
22
October 2018
Credibility
23
October 2018
• It is safe to report
• National reputation:  NASA operates ‘for the public good’
• Strong immunity and legal provisions 
• Secure data confidentiality protections, careful de-identification
• Every report matters
• ALL reports read by aviation expert analysts
• Acknowledge receipt 
• Analysts call reporters for clarity (more frequently, more trust)
• Online database, Newsletter (“reports from people just like me”)
• Every person plays a role in Aviation Safety
• Report to prevent someone else from making the same mistake
Fostering Credibility: Encouraging Reporting
24
October 2018
ASRS has been building credibility for over 42 years through:
• Flight Schools and Flight Instructors
• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)
• Airlines
• Labor Organizations (ALPA, APA)
• Promotional Events (Flight Shows, Airport Open Houses and 
Aviation Safety Seminars)
It is an on-going process. 
Challenges:  General Aviation, Cabin, Maintenance, Ground, Dispatch
Credibility: Encouraging Reporting
25
October 2018
• Direct alerting  (What is relevant? Who needs to know?)
• ASRS aviation experts screen and triage every report
• ASRS provides a system-wide perspective
• Matches multiple reports into a single event record provides a 
richer picture
• Formal chain of communication to share lessons learned from  
one airline to another, from one pilot to all etc.
• ASRS adds value  -- from data to information
• Safety products (alerts, search requests, special studies, 
newsletters)
• Collaboration with Industry /  Airlines / FAA / NTSB
• ASRS data helps us understanding WHY
26
Credibility: Advocating for ASRS
October 2018
Contact Information
Becky Hooey, Director 
NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS)
Becky.L.Hooey@nasa.gov
(650) 604-2399
27


NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS)

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