DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON DC
MEMORANDUM FOR SAF/AAZ
ATTENTION: LT COL BUTLER
FROM: AF/SE
SUBJECT: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures Dealing with Weather Balloons,
Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents (GAO Code 701034)-
INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
In response to your memorandum dated 1 Mar 94, same subject, Air Force Safety has
identified 2 directives concerning the investigating and reporting of air vehicle crashes. One is
within our purview, while the other is managed by the Office of the Judge Advocate General.
AFR 127-4, Investigating and Reporting US Air Force Mishaps (attached), provides
guidance for Air Force safety investigations, to include "air vehicle mishaps." The mishap report
is used for mishap prevention purposes only and is not normally released outside Air Force
channels. It does not cover the investigation of air vehicle crashes belonging to other branches of
government or civilian crashes.
AFR 110-14, Investigations of Aircraft, Missile, and Nuclear and Space Accidents,
provides guidance for Accident Investigation Boards, which are convened primarily to obtain and
preserve available evidence for claims, litigation, disciplinary and administrative actions, and for
all other purposes. The accident report is normally releasable to the public.
Normally, the safety investigation is done first, after which the wreckage/debris retention
and disposition becomes the responsibility ofthe Accident Investigation Board. AFR 110-14,
paragraph 10, Disposition of Wreckage and Other Evidentiary Materials, states "HQ USAF/JACC
[now AFLSA/JACT] manages the retention of aircraft wreckage for anticipated litigation or in
cases where there is a high degree of publicity. The Air Force is not under any general
requirement to retain wreckage for long periods of time, but in some cases, it is advantageous to
do while in others the wreckage can be disposed of quickly."
The Air Force Safety Agency searched the microfilm records (classified and unclassified)
for air vehicle mishaps for the period 20 June through 31 July 1947. The only mishaps reported in
New Mexico during that periods are as follows: