Article 119 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 119 من نظام الطيران المدني · الباب الثامن: حوادث الطيران
If an accident involves a military aircraft and a civil one in the Kingdom's territory, the board of directors forms a joint investigation committee of the Center, the Royal Saudi Air Force and anyone else it sees fit to use.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
إذا وقع حادث طيران يتعلق بطائرة عسكرية وأخرى مدنية في إقليم المملكة يكوّن مجلس الإدارة لجنة تحقيق مشتركة من المركز والقوات الجوية الملكية السعودية ومن يرى الاستعانة بهم من غير هاتين الجهتين للتحقيق في الحادث، وترفع اللجنة تقريرًا مفصلا عن الحادث وأسبابه إلى المجلس لاعتماده وتقرير نشره من عدمه.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 119 explained in plain English
This article deals with a special case in which two different bodies overlap: an aviation accident involving a military aircraft and a civil one in the Kingdom's territory.
Who forms the investigation committee? The board of directors.
Composition of the joint committee:
- the Center;
- the Royal Saudi Air Force;
- and anyone else, beyond these two bodies, whom the board sees fit to use.
The committee's work:
- investigating the accident;
- submitting a detailed report on the accident and its causes to the board.
The board's role after the report: approving the report, and deciding whether or not to publish it. Publication here is not automatic but is at the board's discretion, which may be for considerations linked to the military nature of one party to the accident, although the text does not state criteria for this assessment.
The rationale: An accident involving a military aircraft requires the expertise of the military body and its knowledge of its aircraft and operations, as well as the expertise of the civil investigating body, so the Law brings them together in one committee.
The word "Center" replaced "Bureau" in this article under Council of Ministers Decision No. (158) dated 20/2/1445 AH. This article follows Article 118 on participation in foreign investigations, and precedes Article 120, which defines search and rescue. Anyone harmed by such an accident may consult a lawyer specializing in aviation and administrative matters.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 119 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Who investigates an accident between a military aircraft and a civil aircraft in Saudi Arabia?
A joint investigation committee formed by the board of directors from the Center, the Royal Saudi Air Force and anyone it sees fit to use.
Is the report on this accident published?
The committee submits a detailed report to the board for approval, and the board decides whether or not to publish it.
Amendment history
Amendment — 20/2/1445 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
- إحلال كلمة "المركز" محل كلمة "المكتب" وذلك بموجب قرار مجلس الوزراء رقم (158) وتاريخ 1445/2/20هـ
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
إذا وقع حادث طيران يتعلق بطائرة عسكرية وأخرى مدنية في إقليم المملكة يكوّن مجلس الإدارة لجنة تحقيق مشتركة من المكتب والقوات الجوية الملكية السعودية ومن يرى الاستعانة بهم من غير هاتين الجهتين للتحقيق في الحادث، وترفع اللجنة تقريرًا مفصلا عن الحادث وأسبابه إلى المجلس لاعتماده وتقرير نشره من عدمه.
More articles on Aviation Accidents and Search and Rescue
- Article 107
The National Transport Safety Center investigates accidents and incidents of civil aircraft in the Kingdom and of Saudi aircraft, and sets the investigation regulations, forms its committees, prepares reports and publishes the results.
1- يتولى المركز التحقيق في الحوادث والوقائع التي تقع للطائرات المدنية في إقليم المملكة وللطائرات السعودية وللطائرات التي يشغلها أشخاص يحملون الجنسية السعودية فو
- Article 108
Local authorities, crew members and pilots who see an accident must report aviation accidents in the Kingdom to the Authority, and the owner or operator must notify of accidents to Saudi aircraft abroad.
1- عند وقوع حادث طيران في إقليم المملكة فإن على السلطات المحلية عند علمها بوقوع الحادث في منطقة اختصاصها وعلى عضو طاقم الطائرة التي وقع لها الحادث إذا سمحت حالت
- Article 109
On learning of an accident to a foreign aircraft in the Kingdom's territory, the Center must notify the State of registry, the State of the operator, the State of design and of manufacture, any State affected, and the International Civil Aviation Organization.
مع مراعاة أحكام الملحق (13) لمعاهدة شيكاغو بشأن التحقيق في حوادث الطائرات ؛ يقوم المركز بعد علمه بوقوع حادث لطائرة أجنبية في إقليم المملكة بالإبلاغ عنه في أقرب
- Article 110
On an aviation accident, local authorities must keep the aircraft from flying, preserve it and its wreckage, and not move it except for specified reasons until the investigation committee arrives.
على السلطات المحلية عند وقوع حادث طيران في منطقة اختصاصها أن تمنع الطائرة عن الطيران وأن تحافظ عليها وعلى أجزائها وجميع موجوداتها أو حطامها، وعدم تحريكها من موض
- Article 111
The board of directors decides whether to conduct an investigation into aviation accidents in the Kingdom or over the high seas involving a Saudi aircraft, or a foreign one operated by a Saudi, or not to proceed with it; the Regulations set the committees' powers.
يقرر مجلس الإدارة عند وقوع حادث طيران في إقليم المملكة أو فوق أعالي البحار أو فوق الأراضي غير المملوكة لإحدى الدول لطائرة سعودية أو لطائرة أجنبية يشغلها سعودي؛
- Article 112
The article allows the Center to ask States and bodies set by the Regulations for representatives to take part as observers in investigating accidents of Saudi aircraft, and gives the States concerned a right of representation for foreign aircraft accidents.
1- عند وقوع حادث لطائرة سعودية أو لطائرة أجنبية يشغلها سعودي في إقليم المملكة أو فوق أعالي البحار أو فوق أراض غير مملوكة لدولة ما؛ يجوز للمركز أن يطلب من الدول
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.