Pilots can now report their accidents online rather than filling out a lengthy PDF form and emailing it in.

The National Transportation Safety Board has created a secure online portal for reporting aviation accidents and incidents. Pilots can now fill out NTSB Form 6120.1, available on the NTSB website, on their phones or computers and hit SEND.

This user-friendly, efficient option doesn’t just benefit the pilots involved. It also spares the investigators, who previously input all the information manually, a great deal of time and effort. This new option will help all involved meet the FAA mandate to report accidents and incidents “immediately and by the most expeditious means possible.”

This form does not negate a pilot’s obligation to make an initial phone call to the NTSB’s 24-hour Response Operations Center (888-373-9922) within 24 hours to report the incident. However, if the investigator decides a case needs to be opened, filling out this online form is the next step.

The new digital form is convenient, and the information provided is secured. Pilots will be able to save their changes to the form if they cannot complete it in one sitting. They will also be able to check the status of their submission directly on the NTSB website.

You will find information about the reporting process at Report an Aircraft Accident to the NTSB.

*Information obtained from General Aviation News, www.generalaviationnews.com.