Hazard notifications are the formal mechanism for communicating identified safety hazards to interfacing organizations. Required by 14 CFR 5.57, this process ensures that certificate holders, manufacturers, service providers, and other parties who share risk exposure are made aware of hazards that may affect their operations. Every notification is tracked from initial dispatch through response and closure, maintaining a complete audit trail for regulatory compliance.
Regulatory Basis
| Regulation | Requirement |
|---|
| 14 CFR 5.57 | Certificate holders must provide notification of hazards to other certificate holders, the FAA, and other organizations as necessary. |
| 14 CFR 5.53 | System analysis and hazard identification — the source data for notifications. |
| 14 CFR 5.97 | SMS records — notification records must be retained as part of the SMS documentation. |
| AC 120-92D | Advisory guidance on inter-organizational hazard communication. |
Who Must Be Notified
The regulation requires notification to any organization that interfaces with your operations and may be affected by the identified hazard. Common notification recipients include:
| Party Type | API Value | Description | Examples |
|---|
| Certificate Holder | certificate_holder | Other Part 119/135/121 operators who share the same operational environment. | Partner operators, code-share operators, operators at shared airports. |
| Manufacturer | manufacturer | Aircraft or component manufacturers whose products are affected by the hazard. | Airframe OEMs, engine manufacturers, avionics vendors. |
| Service Provider | service_provider | Third-party providers whose services interface with your operations. | FBOs, ground handling companies, maintenance repair organizations (MROs), fuel suppliers. |
| Regulator | regulator | FAA or other regulatory authorities requiring notification. | FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), NTSB (for specific event types). |
| Other | other | Any other organization affected by the hazard. | Airport authorities, ATC facilities, training providers. |
Notification Methods
| Method | API Value | Description |
|---|
| Email | email | Electronic mail with documented delivery confirmation. |
| Letter | letter | Formal written correspondence (physical mail). |
| Phone | phone | Verbal notification with documented follow-up confirmation. |
| In Person | in_person | Face-to-face communication with documented summary. |
| Electronic System | electronic_system | Notification through an industry reporting system (e.g., ASRS, SDRS). |
| Other | other | Any other documented communication method. |
Email and electronic system notifications provide the best audit trail because delivery
confirmation is automatic. If you use phone or in-person methods, document the conversation
summary and send a written follow-up.
Notification Fields
| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|
hazard_id | Reference | Yes | Link to the risk assessment record that identified the hazard. |
notified_party | String | Yes | Name of the organization or individual being notified. |
notified_party_type | Enum | No | Classification of the recipient (see party types above). |
contact_name | String | No | Point of contact at the notified organization. |
contact_email | String | No | Email address for the contact. |
contact_phone | String | No | Phone number for the contact. |
notification_date | Date | Yes | Date the notification was sent. |
notification_method | Enum | Yes | How the notification was delivered (see methods above). |
notification_reference | String | No | External reference number (e.g., letter tracking number, email message ID). |
notification_summary | Text | Yes | Summary of the hazard information communicated. |
status | Enum | Auto | Current status in the notification lifecycle. |
response_received | Boolean | Auto | Whether a response has been received from the notified party. |
response_date | Date | No | Date the response was received. |
response_summary | Text | No | Summary of the response content. |
response_action_required | Boolean | No | Whether the response indicates additional action is needed. |
linked_cpa_id | Reference | No | Link to a CPA created as a result of the notification or response. |
notes | Text | No | Internal notes about the notification. |
attachment_keys | Array | No | File attachments supporting the notification. |
Notification Statuses
| Status | API Value | Description |
|---|
| Draft | draft | Notification prepared but not yet sent. Under review or awaiting approval. |
| Sent | sent | Notification dispatched to the recipient. Awaiting acknowledgment. |
| Acknowledged | acknowledged | Recipient has confirmed receipt of the notification. |
| Response Received | response_received | Recipient has provided a substantive response to the hazard notification. |
| Closed | closed | Notification lifecycle complete. All responses received and any required follow-up actions are tracked. |
Status Lifecycle
Response Tracking
When a response is received from the notified party, the notification record captures:
| Field | Description |
|---|
| Response date | When the response was received. |
| Response summary | What the notified party communicated. |
| Action required | Whether the response requires your organization to take additional action (e.g., implement a service bulletin, modify a procedure). |
| Linked CPA | If the response results in a corrective or preventive action, the CPA is linked for traceability. |
If a notified party’s response indicates that additional risk controls are needed, create a CPA to
track implementation. Untracked response actions are a common finding during FAA surveillance.
Audit Trail
Every change to a hazard notification is recorded in the hazard notification audit table:
| Field | Description |
|---|
action | The type of change: create, update, or delete. |
field_changed | Which field was modified. |
old_value | The previous value. |
new_value | The new value. |
changed_by | The user who made the change. |
changed_at | Timestamp of the change (UTC). |
reason | Optional reason for the change. |
Regulatory Alignment
| Part 5 Section | Requirement | Notification Component |
|---|
| 5.57 | Notification of interfacing organizations | Party types, methods, response tracking. |
| 5.53 | System analysis and hazard identification | Linked hazard/risk assessment record. |
| 5.55 | Safety risk assessment and control | Linked CPAs for response actions. |
| 5.97 | SMS records | Audit trail and notification records retention. |
Hazard Register
Central repository for identified hazards that trigger notifications.
Conduct a Risk Assessment
How hazards are identified and assessed before notification.
CPA Lifecycle
Tracking actions that result from notification responses.
Track Compliance
How notification records contribute to Part 5 compliance.
