Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) was established in November 2001 on the basis of the requirements of Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation - Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation, on Directive 94/56 regarding the EU's fundamental principles for the investigation of aviation accidents and incidents and on the Ordinance No 13 for the investigation of aviation accidents from 27.01.1999 of the Minister of Transport.

In 2004, the Civil Aviation Act (CAA) was revised and amended, and Article 16d was created which represents the legal provision for the establishment of the AAIU. Subsequently, in amending the CAA this article is formulated as 16g.

The main functions of AAIU by virtue of Art. 16g of the Civil Aviation Act (CAA) are:

1. Maintain a system for obligatory and voluntary reporting of aviation events: aviation accidents, serious incidents and incidents;
2. Organize, participate and control the investigation in relation to the safety;
3. Keep records of investigations and maintain an information database for the aviation events;
4. Prepare and disseminate annual analysis and newsletter for aviation events;
5. In safety investigation of aviation events, analyze the actions of individuals and legal entities in the field of aviation and the functioning of the objects and facilities related to the specific event;
6. Collect and analyze data on aviation safety in accordance with Art. 4, paragraph 4 of Regulation (EU) № 996/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 October 2010.

The main objectives of the accident investigation and the body responsible for its execution are described in Article 142 of the Civil Aviation Act.

The establishment of the AAIU and related changes in Civil Aviation Act are laid down in Ordinance No 13 for aviation accidents investigation, which dives in detail the order of the investigation and the bodies for investigation with their rights, obligations and responsibilities.

A Head who is an investigation inspector leads the activity of AAIU. Currently, the state of AAIU includes six positions for professionals in the field of aviation.

The main tasks AAIU is working on are:

1. Investigation of civil aviation accidents and serious incidents and determination of safety recommendations;
2. Preventive activities to improve the level of flight safety;
3. Control over the investigation of incidents carried out by aviation organisations.

AAIU participate in the realization of the ECCAIRS (European Co-ordination Centre for Accident and Incident Reporting Systems) software system - Introduction of a uniform European system for collecting, processing and analysis of data on aviation events.

AAIU is a functional part of the Aircraft, Maritime and Railway Accident Investigation Directorate in MTITC.

POINTS OF CONTACT:

Address for Correspondence:
9 Dyakon Ignatiy str.
1000 Sofia
Aircraft Accident Investigation Unit
Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications
Republic of Bulgaria

Hristo Hristov - Director
Tel: +359 2 9409338; +359 2 9371064
Fax: +359 2 9409828
E-mail: ihristov@mtitc.government.bg

Stefan Petrov - Сhief Specialist
Тел.: (02) 9409864;
GSM: +359 886 434 242
E-mail: spetrov@mtitc.government.bg

Valeri Karaliyski - Сhief Inspector
Тел.: (02) 9409214;
GSM: +359 886 777 998
E-mail: vkaraliyski@mtitc.government.bg

Mihail Kamenov - Chief Inspector
Tel. (02) 9409 854;
GSM: +359 876 481 609
E-mail: mkamenov@mtitc.government.bg

Valeri Todorov - Chief Inspector
Tel.: (02) 9409 854;
GSM: +359 876 484 398
E-mail: vttodorov@mtitc.government.bg