In mishap investigations, what does 'relevant data' refer to?

• A. Data that supports reconstruction and causation analysis.
• B. Data about unrelated accidents.
• C. Only financial records.
• D. Personal opinions.

Answer: (A)

In a mishap investigation, relevant data are the facts and records that help you recreate what happened and determine why it happened. Investigators look for information that can establish the sequence of events, how systems and components behaved, what the crew and others did, and the environmental conditions at the time. This kind of data lets you connect actions and conditions to the outcome and supports causal analysis that points to contributing factors and corrective actions. Examples include flight data and cockpit voice recordings, maintenance and servicing logs, weather reports, radio and ATC communications, and witness statements that pertain to the incident.

Data about accidents unrelated to the event, personal opinions, or only financial records do not help reconstruct this specific mishap or identify its causes, so they aren’t considered relevant.