How does AMIC 26-F distinguish between an accident and an incident?

• A. An incident is always fatal; an accident is never dangerous.
• B. An incident is the same as an accident for reporting purposes.
• C. An accident involves significant damage, injury, or loss of life; an incident is a non-fatal event with potential safety implications that did not meet accident criteria.
• D. An accident is non-fatal with potential safety implications; an incident involves significant damage and loss of life.

Answer: (C)

AMIC 26-F uses a severity-based distinction. An accident is an event that results in significant damage to the aircraft or property, serious injury, or loss of life, and typically triggers a formal investigative process. An incident is a non-fatal event with safety implications that does not meet the criteria for an accident—meaning there isn’t the level of damage or injury to qualify as an accident, though it is still noteworthy for safety review. This explains why a non-fatal event with potential safety concerns falls under incident, while a substantial crash, serious injury, or fatality falls under accident. The other options misstate the relationship or thresholds, such as implying fatality for incidents, treating them as the same for reporting, or reversing the roles of accident and incident.