Investigation Statuses
| Status | Database Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Open | open | Investigation has been created and assigned. |
| In Progress | in_progress | Active investigation work is underway. |
| Findings Complete | findings_complete | All findings and root causes have been documented. |
| Closed | closed | Investigation is complete. All outputs are finalized. |
Status Lifecycle
Detailed Status Definitions
Open
The investigation record has been created and an investigator or investigation team has been assigned. The scope, linked reports, and initial facts are being established. Available actions: Assign investigator, link reports, define scope, begin work. Who can transition: Lead investigator, safety manager.In Progress
Active investigation work is underway. This includes evidence collection, interviews, timeline reconstruction, and analysis. The investigation remains in this status for the duration of active work. Available actions: Record evidence, add findings, document interviews, update timeline, perform root cause analysis. Who can transition: Lead investigator, safety manager.Findings Complete
All findings and root causes have been documented. Recommended CPAs have been drafted. The investigation is awaiting review and approval by the safety manager before closure. Available actions: Review findings, approve or return for additional work, create CPAs from recommendations. Who can transition: Safety manager, admin.Closed
The investigation is complete. All findings are finalized, root causes are documented, and recommended CPAs have been created. The investigation record is read-only. Available actions: None. The record is immutable. Who can transition: Safety manager, admin.Investigation Roles
| Role | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Investigator | Collects evidence, conducts interviews, documents facts, performs analysis. Can be assigned to one or more investigations. |
| Lead Investigator | Coordinates the investigation team, manages scope and timeline, authors the investigation report, submits findings for review. Responsible for root cause analysis. |
| Safety Manager | Assigns investigations, reviews findings, approves closure, ensures CPAs are generated and tracked. Has oversight of all investigations within the tenant. |
Investigation Outputs
Findings
A finding is a factual statement about a condition, event, or practice identified during the investigation. Each finding includes:| Field | Description |
|---|---|
title | Brief description of the finding. |
description | Detailed narrative of what was found. |
category | Classification (e.g., procedural, training, equipment, environmental, organizational). |
contributing_factor | Whether this finding is a contributing factor to the event. Boolean. |
evidence | References to supporting evidence (documents, photos, interview records). |
Root Cause
The root cause is the fundamental reason the event occurred. PlaneConnection supports multiple root cause analysis methodologies:| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| 5 Whys | Iterative questioning to trace cause chains. |
| Fishbone (Ishikawa) | Categorized cause-and-effect diagram. |
| SHELL Model | Human factors analysis (Software, Hardware, Environment, Liveware). |
| Bow-Tie | Threat and barrier analysis connecting causes to consequences. |
findings_complete.
Recommended CPAs
Investigations produce recommended Corrective and Preventive Actions. Each recommendation includes:| Field | Description |
|---|---|
title | Short description of the recommended action. |
description | Detailed description of what should be done. |
type | corrective (addresses existing deficiency) or preventive (prevents future occurrence). |
priority | low, medium, high, or critical. |
Linked Records
An investigation can be linked to:- One or more safety reports — the originating events.
- One or more CPAs — the resulting actions.
- Risk assessments — associated hazard evaluations.
Regulatory Alignment
| Part 5 Section | Requirement | Investigation Component |
|---|---|---|
| 5.71(a)(4) | Employee safety reporting | Linked safety reports |
| 5.73 | Safety performance assessment | Findings and root cause analysis |
| 5.75 | Continuous improvement | Recommended CPAs |
| 5.97 | SMS records | Investigation records retained per policy |