Supporting Accident Investigation with an Immersive Visualization of Witness Statements using the new Method called IWI®

The analysis of accidents can be complicated and often smaller aircraft and helicopters are not equipped with a Flight Data Recorder. Radar data can be inadequate due to terrain reflections when the aircraft flew in very low altitude. This means that in some cases little information can be available and taking witness testimonies into account can be time and cost consuming today. A new method called Immersive Witness Interview (IWI®) has been developed to support the analysis of accident investigation, taking witness statements into account. Based on the witness reports that are transformed in three dimensional, a flight path of an observed aircraft can be reconstructed including all potential errors. IWI® has been evaluated in the beginning of 2009 within a test in real circumstances in cooperation with the Federal Armed Forces Flight Safety Division supported by the German Air Force. Further the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) has used the new method for accident investigation in October 2009. This paper will focus on the method, results and benefits using IWI® within accident investigation.