SMS reporting is crucial for tracking safety data and preventing potential incidents. We analyzed hundreds of safety reports submitted to Nimbl over the past year and found the top submission types, the most common themes, and provided best practices for flight operators, maintenance departments, and FBOs. See the full report to better understand how to navigate commonly seen events.

The analysis included all four stages of SMS reporting:

• Initial submission
• Root cause analysis
• Mitigation implementation
• Review for effectiveness

Effective safety reporting is crucial for identifying contributing factors that lead to incidents so you can implement mitigations that result in safer and more efficient operations.

How to get started with safety reporting

Safety reporting doesn’t have to be complex, yet the benefits are enormous when considering the costs of flight delays, go arounds, aircraft down time, and equipment repair. Consider using these for questions to guide you through the process:

1. What happened?
2. Why do you think this happened?
3. What are you going to do about it?
4. Did your response help?

When first analyzing the incident, it is easy to jump to conclusions regarding how it happened. Keep in mind that when determining this, you are going to want to dive deeper to establish the root cause in order to respond appropriately. One way to get to the root cause is to ask why several times.

Formalizing the safety reporting process will help you establish concrete data to make informed decisions when managing risks and addressing issues before they lead to an incident. Contact our team for support to help you find the best way to meet the needs of your unique operation. And don’t forget to download your complimentary Annual Safety Report: