What is the purpose of maintaining chain of custody in a mishap investigation?

• A. To assign blame to a suspect.
• B. To document only the flight data.
• C. To ensure evidence integrity and traceability from collection to presentation.
• D. To speed up the investigation by skipping steps.

Answer: (C)

Maintaining chain of custody ensures evidence remains accurate and trustworthy from the moment it is collected until it is presented for review. It creates an auditable trail that records who handled the item, when, where it was stored, and how it was transported and analyzed, often with seals and signatures. This preserves the integrity of physical and digital evidence, prevents tampering or loss, and supports the credibility and admissibility of the findings in any proceedings. It’s not about assigning blame or documenting only flight data, and it does not skip steps to rush the process—the careful, documented handling of evidence is what keeps the investigation reliable.