Which description best captures the goal of a root-cause analysis in mishap investigations?

• A. To Identify Surface Symptoms and Assign Blame
• B. To Document Every Action during the Incident
• C. To Identify Fundamental Causes and Inform Corrective Actions
• D. To Calculate Financial Impact

Answer: (C)

Root-cause analysis is about getting beyond the surface events to understand why the mishap happened in the first place. The best description captures identifying fundamental, often systemic causes and using those findings to inform corrective actions that prevent recurrence. It looks at how people, procedures, equipment, and organizational factors interacted to produce the incident, and it yields changes that address those underlying issues—not just what happened or who was at fault. It’s not about documenting every action or assigning blame, nor is it primarily about calculating costs; it’s about turning investigation findings into steps that reduce the chance of similar events in the future.