Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB)

The TSIB is the air, marine and rail accidents and incidents investigation authority in Singapore. Its mission is to promote transport safety through the conduct of independent investigations into air, marine and rail accidents and incidents.

The sole objective of TSIB’s safety investigations is the prevention of transport accidents and incidents. The safety investigations do not seek to apportion blame or liability. Accordingly, TSIB reports should not be used to assign blame or determine liability.

When carrying out its safety investigations, the TSIB will:

Gather, record and analyse all available information on the accidents and incidents
Determine the causes and/or contributing factors
Identify possible safety issues
Make safety recommendations to address the safety issues
Produce an investigation report

The TSIB will investigate into the following occurrences:

Aviation accidents and serious incidents.
Very serious marine casualties.
Railway occurrences involving one of the following:
1. Fatality or serious injury arising from train operation.
2. Derailment.
3. Collision.
4. Breakaway or runaway rail vehicle.
5. Fire/explosion involving rail vehicle.

The TSIB may also investigate into the following occurrences where safety lessons can be expected to be drawn:

Aviation incidents.
Marine casualties and marine incidents.
Railway occurrences involving minor injury, near-collision, damage to rail vehicle or railway infrastructure that affects safety of rail operations (list not exhaustive).

The TSIB carries out safety investigations for aviation and marine occurrences in accordance with international protocols, viz.:

Annex 13 “Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation” to the Convention on International Civil Aviation
Code of the International Standards and Recommended Practices for a Safety Investigation into a Marine Casualty or Marine Incident, i.e. “Casualty Investigation Code” of the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention

NOTIFICATION OF AVIATION, MARINE AND RAILWAY OCCURRENCES

The following occurrences must be notified to the TSIB:

An aviation accident or a serious incident that:
1. occurs in Singapore, regardless of the country that the aircraft is registered in; or
2. occurs to a Singapore-registered aircraft or an aircraft operated by a Singapore operator when the aircraft is overseas.

The following persons are expected to notify the TSIB of the occurrence:

The owner, operator and pilot-in-command of the aircraft.
The owner or operator of an aerodrome in Singapore if the occurrence happens on or adjacent to the aerodrome.
The provider of air traffic services in Singapore if the occurrence happens in Singapore airspace.
The civilian organiser of a flying display in Singapore that is held outside military premises.

A very serious marine casualty that:
1. occurs in Singapore, regardless of the country that the ship is registered in; or
2. occurs to a Singapore-registered ship when the ship is overseas.

The following persons are expected to notify the TSIB of the occurrence:

The owner, master and person-in-charge of the ship.
The operator of a port in Singapore if the occurrence happens on or adjacent to a port in Singapore.

A railway occurrence involving one of the following:
1. Fatality or serious injury arising from train operation.
2. Derailment.
3. Collision.
4. Breakaway or runaway rail vehicle.
5. Fire/explosion involving rail vehicle.

The following persons are expected to notify the TSIB of the occurrence:

The owner, operator and driver of the rail vehicle.
The owner or operator of a depot or railway station if the occurrence happens on or adjacent to the depot or railway station.

Transport Safety Investigation Legislation

TSIB investigators are appointed as Inspector of Accidents by the Minister under the following legislation:

Air Navigation Act
Air Navigation (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Order, for aviation occurrences.
Merchant Shipping Act, for marine occurrences.
Rapid Transit Systems Act, for railway occurrences.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Air Safety Investigation Reports

Reports on current and previous investigations.

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Marine Safety Investigation Reports

Reports on current and previous investigations.

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Rail Safety Investigation Reports

Reports on current and previous investigations.

(Nil at present, pending development of relevant legislation)

Air Safety Investigation Related Links

Links to related organisations.