The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has appointed Robert Balls as Chief Inspector of Air Accidents following a fair and open competition. He assumes the role with immediate effect, succeeding Crispin Orr after nine years in post. The announcement was published on 11 February 2026. (gov.uk)
Balls joined the AAIB in 2020 as an Inspector of Air Accidents (Engineering) and was promoted to Principal Inspector in 2024, following a career in the Royal Air Force. In initial remarks he underlined the Branch’s focus on thorough, independent investigations to improve flight safety. (gov.uk)
AAIB’s mandate is to investigate civil aircraft accidents and serious incidents in the UK, its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies with the sole purpose of improving aviation safety. The Branch is an independent unit within the Department for Transport; the Chief Inspector reports directly to the Secretary of State for Transport. Six inspector teams conduct investigations in line with ICAO Annex 13 and UK statutory obligations, and reports are produced without attributing blame. (gov.uk)
Institutional independence is safeguarded by the Department for Transport’s protocol for the accident investigation branches. Chief Inspectors are senior civil servants appointed by the Secretary of State and hold legal responsibility and functional independence for ordering and conducting investigations, issuing reports and making safety recommendations. The protocol confirms the branches are separate from regulators, including the Civil Aviation Authority. (gov.uk)
Investigative powers and processes are set out in The Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 2018 (SI 2018/321), which replaced the 1996 regulations and came into force on 9 April 2018. The framework defines inspectors’ powers and the reporting regime for UK civil aviation occurrences. (gov.uk)
Consistent with both law and policy, AAIB investigations aim to prevent recurrence rather than determine fault. Official guidance makes clear that reports should not be used to apportion blame or liability, reflecting the safety-learning purpose of the Branch’s work. (gov.uk)
The Branch also acts as the UK’s Space Accident Investigation Authority under regulations introduced in 2021. As SAIA, it operates independently of both the Civil Aviation Authority and the UK Space Agency and, with the FAA, oversaw the investigation into Virgin Orbit’s system anomaly during the UK’s inaugural space launch in January 2023. (gov.uk)
For airlines, manufacturers and aerodromes, today’s appointment signals continuity in investigative leadership and process. Recruitment via open competition aligns with the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles on selection by merit. The outgoing Chief Inspector, Crispin Orr, has joined the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s board as a non‑executive director from January 2026. (civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk)