Mandatory reporting in the United States varies among operators. Employee participation in ASAP or other VSPs is voluntary—carriers may encourage employees to report certain events, and may provide some guidance on what types of events should be reported. Such information is typically provided to employees through company publications, typically the flight operations manual (FOM) for flight crews. However, almost all U.S. air carriers require flight crews to report certain events into the company’s internal reporting system. These requirements vary per air carrier and are not set forth by the FAA, and are typically listed in the FOM or elsewhere in an electronic flight bag (EFB). Names for these reports vary, and are typically called something such as an “Irregular Operations Report” or “Flight Safety Report.” There can be debate over what should and should not be required reporting items in these internal systems. One of the most prevalent issues is go‑arounds. Some companies require reporting these, while others maintain flight crews are more reluctant to execute a go‑around if they know it will require filling out a report.
Mandatory occurrence reporting in the United States is set forth by regulation, and required by the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
FAA requirements are found in various sections of 14 CFR part 121:
121.565 (engine inoperative and landing at other than the nearest suitable airport): http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=6e0d1bfbdebe134dbd64920f204e9d47&mc=true&node=pt14.3.121&rgn=div5#se14.3.121_1565
121.575 (passenger non-compliance with alcohol regulations): http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=6e0d1bfbdebe134dbd64920f204e9d47&mc=true&node=pt14.3.121&rgn=div5#se14.3.121_1575
121.703 (service difficulty reports): http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=6e0d1bfbdebe134dbd64920f204e9d47&mc=true&node=pt14.3.121&rgn=div5#se14.3.121_1703
NTSB requirements are found in 49 CFR part 830:
830.5 (immediate notification requirements): http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=6e0d1bfbdebe134dbd64920f204e9d47&mc=true&node=pt49.7.830&rgn=div5#se49.7.830_15