Dhaka: Governments around the world are consistently failing to file investigation reports in a timely manner after aviation accidents take place, said International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Reports cited new data from the association stating that only 96 of the 214 accident investigations that occurred between 2018 and 2022 actually conformed with the requirements of the Convention of International Civil Aviation (or Chicago Convention).

Moreover, only 31 reports were published in less than one year of the accident, with the majority of accident investigation reports (58) taking between one to three years to be released for review, added reports.

In addition to the fact that final reports regularly take over a year, interim statements often provide little more than what was presented in the preliminary report, IATA noted.

“The accident investigation process is one of our most important learning tools when building global safety standards. But to learn from an accident, we need reports that are complete, accessible and timely,” said Willie Walsh, Director General, IATA, in a statement released with the new data, cited reports.

The organisation is now calling on governments to do better and live up to longstanding international treaty obligations, such as the Chicago Convention, which require publishing timely and thorough aviation accident reports.

“Failure to publish prompt and complete accident investigation reports deprives operators, equipment manufacturers, regulators, infrastructure providers and other concerned stakeholders of critical information that could make flying even safer,” said the IATA statement, as per reports.

“Over the past five years, fewer than half of the required accident reports meet the standards for thoroughness and timeliness. This is an inexcusable violation of requirements stated clearly in the Chicago Convention,” Walsh added. “As an industry we must raise our voice to governments in defense of the accident investigation process enshrined in Annex 13. And we count on ICAO to remind states that the publication of a complete accident report is not optional, it is an obligation under Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention.”