Safety topics
This page provides an overview of safety-related incidents in Swiss civil aviation. These include accidents and serious incidents that provide important insights for improving flight safety. A special section is devoted to Airprox reports, which describe situations where aircraft come dangerously close to each other and provide valuable information about potential risk factors in airspace. In addition, the section explains the organization and procedures of the Search and Rescue (SAR) service, which is responsible for the rapid search and rescue of missing or distressed aircraft. Overall, the page conveys how these elements together contribute to the high level of safety in Swiss aviation.
Swiss Aviation Safety and Operations Conference SASOC
The Federal Office of Civil Aviation held the first Swiss Aviation Safety and Operations Conference (SASOC) in May 2022 - a conference to promote and ensure the exchange of information and knowledge within the aviation industry in Switzerland.
Accidents and serious incidents
Accidents and serious incidents must be reported to the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) as quickly as possible. Those required to do so are aviation personnel, the air police agencies and local authorities.
Aircraft proximities
In accordance with Swiss and international legislation, certain aviation incidents that are associated with air traffic control services have to be reported to the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) and to the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB) using an ATIR (Air Traffic Incident Report) form. Investigating individual incidents is a core task of safety management systems operated by the stakeholders in the civil aviation sector. Serious incidents also have to be investigated by the SAIB.
Laser attacks: dangerous and illegal
Attacks against pilots by dazzling them with laser beams are on the increase. Such attacks are illegal and represent a serious safety risk. Perpetrators of laser attacks against aircraft now face criminal charges.
