- Under 49 CFR Part 830, any accident (death, serious injury or substantial damage) and certain incidents require immediate notification to the NTSB.
- Preserve the wreckage and records. You may move them only to help injured people, prevent further damage or protect public safety, and you must photograph and sketch first.
- A written report on NTSB Form 6120.1 is due within 10 days of an accident, or within 7 days if an aircraft is still missing.
- Notify your insurer immediately too. Late notice and pilot-warranty breaches are the two most common reasons aviation claims run into trouble.
An aviation insurance claim runs alongside a federal reporting process, and getting the order right protects both your legal position and your claim. This spoke of our aircraft & aviation insurance explained hub walks through the first hour, the first 10 days and the settlement.
Step 1: Is It an 'Accident' Under NTSB Part 830?
An aircraft accident is an occurrence associated with flight operations in which someone suffers death or serious injury, or the aircraft receives substantial damage. Substantial damage means damage needing major repair or replacement of a component. It excludes items such as dented skin, small punctures, bent fairings or, in many cases, landing gear damage alone. Certain incidents also require immediate notification even without an accident. Examples include flight control malfunctions, in-flight fires, crew incapacitation, propeller blade release, loss of 50% or more of cockpit displays, and damage to property other than the aircraft exceeding $25,000.
Step 2: The First Hour Checklist
- Take care of injured people and call emergency services.
- Notify the NTSB immediately if Part 830 applies.
- Preserve the wreckage. Move it only to help injured people, prevent further damage or protect public safety, and photograph and sketch the original positions first.
- Secure the logbooks, maintenance records and any flight data.
- Call your insurer's claims line, or your broker, before you arrange salvage or repairs. For seaplanes, wreck removal has its own limit (see seaplane insurance).
Insurers, and other parties' insurers, may ask for a recorded statement early. You can usually ask to give it later or with counsel. See can I refuse a recorded statement to an insurance company. Stick to facts in the NTSB report and avoid speculating about cause.
Step 3: How Hull Claims Are Settled
Most hull policies are written at an agreed value. If the aircraft is repairable, the insurer pays repair costs minus the deductible, often with separate in-motion and not-in-motion deductibles. If repairs exceed a threshold, the aircraft is declared a total loss and the agreed value is paid, with the insurer usually taking the salvage. What is and isn't included (engine wear, pre-existing corrosion, loss of use) is covered in what does aircraft hull insurance cover. If the aircraft was financed, the lender is paid first under the lienholder endorsement.
Step 4: Liability Claims and Subrogation
Injured passengers or property owners claim against your liability cover, which pays up to the policy limits and any per-seat sublimit (see smooth vs per-seat). If you were renting, the owner's insurer may pay the owner and then seek recovery from you through subrogation, which is where private pilot insurance earns its premium. Instructors face the same exposure. See flight instructor insurance. Hangar damage follows the split explained in aircraft hangar insurance.
The pilot didn't meet the pilot warranty. The annual inspection was expired. The flight was for hire under a pleasure-use policy. Notice to the insurer was late. If a claim is denied or closed unfairly, read can an insurance company close a claim without my consent and can you sue your insurance company. For the general claims process, see what is an insurance claim.
After a claim, expect your renewal premium to rise. Your next quote will reflect the loss, which is one more reason to build experience as described in airplane insurance cost. If an accident leaves you unable to hold a medical certificate, pilot loss of license insurance and life insurance for pilots are the income and family protection layers.
Before a loss happens, check your pilot warranty, deductibles and liability structure.
Calculate your total protection requirement across life, health, and personal liability.