On March 27, the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopted historic changes to Annex 13 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, which governs the investigation of aviation accidents and incidents. These changes will have a significant impact on how countries like ours conduct accident investigations. One of ICAO’s main concerns was precisely the lack of transparency in countries like ours, where accident investigations may involve the concealment of data or conclusions due to the protection of economic or political interests.
The Dominican Republic provides a clear example of this with the investigation into the Gulfstream IV accident in December 2021 involving the company HELIDOSA in Santo Domingo, where nine people lost their lives. This investigation has remained ongoing to this day, not because it was technically difficult to determine the cause of the accident, but rather because the company was owned by a prominent Dominican political figure (the presidential candidate of the Dominican Liberation Party, Gonzalo Castillo, in the 2020 elections). This situation has led to serious criticism of the Dominican Republic’s Air Accident Investigation Commission (CIAA) from industry professionals, as the investigation appears to have been shelved in order to protect economic and political interests.
Changes to Annex 13
The main changes established to Annex 13 by ICAO’s Council, the organization’s permanent governing body, include:
- Delegation of investigations: Greater flexibility to formally delegate an investigation to another country or a regional accident investigation organization.
- External observers: Protocols have been established to invite ICAO itself or third-party States to participate as observers in the process.
- Public transparency: New standards require the timely release of verified factual information to the public, avoiding unjustified delays in the dissemination of critical data.
- Independence of the authority: Strengthened requirements that investigations be conducted by specialized and independent authorities, addressing past cases where interrupted or transferred processes resulted in the absence of final reports.
- Victim assistance: States are urged to implement robust plans to assist victims’ families, linking compliance with Annex 13 to transparency mechanisms and strict timelines.
Impact on the Dominican Republic
The possibility of formally delegating investigations to another country opens the door to using this mechanism in cases where more advanced countries are already involved in the investigation—whether because the aircraft was registered or manufactured there, or because the passengers were nationals of that country. This could apply to the HELIDOSA accident, in which the aircraft was manufactured in the United States and several passengers were of U.S. nationality.
Similarly, ICAO could be invited to act as an observer in investigations, and the recommended transparency measures could be adopted to prevent unjustified delays—one of the main criticisms raised by Dominican aviation professionals regarding the HELIDOSA investigation.
These and other system improvements could help eliminate the possibility of members of the Civil Aviation Board (JAC) or the CIAA being influenced or participating in cover-ups during such investigations, given the typically high economic interests involved in these accidents.
It is important to note that the Dominican Republic does not have a strong, fully independent accident investigation body. Beyond accidents involving smaller aircraft—such as crop-dusting airplanes and helicopters—the CIAA often requires assistance from international organizations such as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Therefore, these changes aim to expand existing cooperation with such agencies while increasing the transparency of investigation outcomes.
This article was featured in the Spanish aviation weekly column by Francisco Díaz, in Acento on 23rd April, 2026, link: https://acento.com.do/opinion/cambios-en-oaci-pudieran-impactar-investigacion-de-accidentes-en-rd-9664970.html
