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By following this guide, you will submit a safety report using any of the available methods — standard form, natural language, confidential, or anonymous — and track it after submission.
Who should read this: Any workspace member (pilot, crew, maintenance, safety manager, admin). All roles can submit safety reports. No special permissions are required.Prerequisites: You must be signed in and have access to a workspace.

Choose Your Submission Method

PlaneConnection offers four ways to submit a report. Pick the one that fits your situation.
ModeBest ForReporter Identity
Standard formMost reports. Structured fields guide you through each detail.Recorded and visible to safety manager.
Natural languageQuick capture in the field. Describe the event in plain text and let AI extract the structured fields.Per selected mode (standard or confidential).
ConfidentialSensitive reports. Your identity is AES-256-GCM encrypted and visible only to the accountable executive.Encrypted; restricted access.
AnonymousReports where retaliation is a concern. No identifying data is stored.Not recorded.

Submit a Report Using the Standard Form

Prerequisites

  • Signed into your workspace
  • Know which report type applies (see the table below or the Report Types reference)
TypeCodeWhen to Use
HazardHAZAn unsafe condition that could contribute to an accident.
IncidentINCAn occurrence that affected or could have affected safety.
Near-MissNMSAn event that could have resulted in harm but did not.
ConcernCONA systemic or organizational issue eroding safety over time.
ObservationOBSA factual safety-related observation from normal operations.
Audit FindingAUFA nonconformity found during an internal safety audit.
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Step 1: Open the new report form
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Navigate to Safety > Reports and create a new report. You can also press N R or use Cmd+K and select “New Safety Report.”
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Step 2: Select the report type and category
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Choose the appropriate report type and category. For type definitions, see Report Types.
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Step 3: Enter the report title
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Provide a clear, concise title (10—200 characters) that summarizes the event or condition.
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Step 4: Write the description
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Describe what happened (50—10,000 characters). Include what occurred, when, where, who was involved, and environmental conditions. You can use voice input to dictate.
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Structure your narrative so investigators can quickly parse the key facts.
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Step 5: Assess initial risk (optional)
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If you are comfortable making an initial assessment, select severity and likelihood levels. The risk matrix displays the resulting risk index.
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Step 6: Add location and aircraft details (optional)
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Enter the airport code and aircraft tail number if applicable.
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Step 7: Attach evidence (optional)
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Attach photos, documents, audio recordings, or data files.
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Step 8: Choose your reporting mode
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Select Standard, Confidential, or Anonymous.
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Anonymous reports cannot be followed up with the reporter. If additional details may be needed during investigation, use Confidential instead.
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Step 9: Review and submit
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Review all entered information and submit the report. You receive a tracking code, QR code, and email confirmation.

Submit Using Natural Language Mode

Natural language mode lets you describe a safety event in your own words and have AI extract the structured fields. For the complete natural language workflow, see Natural Language Reports.
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Step 1: Switch to Natural Language mode
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From the new report form, switch to Natural Language mode.
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Step 2: Describe what happened
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Type or dictate a narrative of at least 20 characters. Include dates, airport codes, tail numbers, and severity indicators for more accurate extraction.
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Step 3: Analyze and review
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Submit for analysis, then review the extracted fields and correct any misidentified values.
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Step 4: Confirm and continue
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Confirm to transfer the extracted data into the standard report form for final adjustments and submission.
Natural language mode is especially useful in the field when you want to capture details quickly and refine the structured data later. Use voice input for hands-free dictation.
AI suggestions are advisory only. Per 14 CFR Part 5, all safety assessments, investigation findings, and risk evaluations require independent human evaluation by qualified personnel. AI recommendations should be used as one factor among many in decision-making, not as the sole basis for any safety, operational, or maintenance action. See Legal Notices.

Track Your Report After Submission

After submitting, you can check the status of your report at any time:
  • From the Reports list: Navigate to Safety > Reports and find your report by title, report number, or status filter.
  • Using the tracking code: Go to Reports > Track and enter your RPT-YYYY-NNNNN code. This works without logging in, which is useful for anonymous reporters.
  • QR code: Scan the QR code generated at submission to jump directly to the tracking page.

Auto-Save and Offline Support

  • Auto-save: Drafts are saved automatically every 60 seconds. If you navigate away before submitting, your draft is preserved in the Reports list.
  • Offline mode: If you lose connectivity, PlaneConnection queues your submission locally and syncs when the network returns. An offline indicator appears in the form to confirm this behavior.

Report Types

Definitions, workflows, and submission modes for all six report types.

Report Statuses

Lifecycle statuses and transition rules for safety reports.

Manage Investigations

What happens after a report triggers an investigation.

Conduct a Risk Assessment

Detailed risk analysis beyond the initial assessment on a report.
Last modified on April 11, 2026