Civil Aviation Accident Investigation Course
Online 300-hour course in civil aviation accident investigation. 6 modules covering ICAO Annex 13, Regulation (EU) 996/2010 (civil aviation accident investigation) and Curtiss-Wright Insight. Assigned tutor and enrolment open.
Civil Aviation Accident Investigation Course — studying from South Africa
Regulation, safety and homologation skills are essential across South African industry, from road vehicles and aviation to energy and mining. Engineers must demonstrate compliance with national standards set by the South African Bureau of Standards and sector regulators. Reliability, availability, maintainability and safety analysis is applied in infrastructure, rail, energy and manufacturing projects. Specialists support certification, type approval and risk assessment for both local and export markets.
Fees for South Africa: R 8 340 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Will a SEIUM qualification be recognised by the professional bodies in South Africa for this area?
SEIUM qualifications are private, not official state degrees, and are not accredited by any South African body. Homologation and standards work in South Africa involves the SABS and the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS), while ECSA handles engineering registration. Whether a SEIUM qualification is recognised is for employers or these bodies to decide, so check beforehand.
How might this qualification be used by employers in South Africa in regulation, safety and RAMS roles?
Employers in automotive, rail, energy and industrial sectors value RAMS and compliance expertise, often tied to recognised certifications and experience. A private qualification may strengthen your profile but will not replace formal requirements. Its value depends on each employer's preference, so ask hiring managers how they would assess it.
Can I study this programme alongside full-time work from South Africa, and is there a time zone or language issue?
Yes, the programme is delivered fully online in English, so you can study from South Africa without a student visa. Master's programmes require 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, with an assigned technical tutor. Fees can be paid in instalments and employer sponsorship is possible. Confirm time-zone and weekly workload expectations with SEIUM before enrolling.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Describe the civil aviation safety system.
Examine wreckage and structures to identify failure modes.
Analyse aircraft engine and systems failures.
Evaluate flight operations and the human factors involved.
Interpret flight and voice recorder data.
Integrate technical findings into a causal analysis.
Carry out an investigation of a simulated air accident.
Who it's for
- Aviation accident investigator who wants to specialise in Civil Aviation Accident Investigation.
- Aeronautical structures engineer who wants to specialise in Civil Aviation Accident Investigation.
- Engine specialist who wants to specialise in Civil Aviation Accident Investigation.
- Flight data analyst who wants to specialise in Civil Aviation Accident Investigation.
- Airworthiness technician who wants to specialise in Civil Aviation Accident Investigation.
- Human factors specialist who wants to specialise in Civil Aviation Accident Investigation.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to join accident investigation authorities.
What you'll work with
- ICAO Annex 13
- Regulation (EU) 996/2010 (civil aviation accident investigation)
- ICAO Doc 9756 (Accident Investigation Manual)
- EUROCAE ED-112A (flight recorders)
- Regulation (EU) 965/2012 (air operations)
- SAE ARP4761 (safety assessment)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Evolution of the commercial accident rate1.2CICTT categories: LOC-I, CFIT, RE and others1.3Flight phases and accident distribution1.4Commercial, general and aerial work aviation1.5Drones and UAS occurrences1.6Preventive versus judicial investigation1.7Agencies: CIAIAC, BEA, NTSB and AAIB1.8Occurrence reporting: Regulation (EU) 376/20141.9Data sources: ASN, ECCAIRS and ASRS1.10Case study: an operator's risk profile
2.1Impact patterns and angles2.2Wreckage analysis and 2D/3D reconstruction2.3In-flight structural failure2.4Fatigue and corrosion in aircraft2.5Component fractography2.6In-flight versus post-impact fire2.7Control surfaces and cables2.8Landing gear and runway excursions2.9Composite materials and damage2.10Laboratory: identification of fracture modes
3.1Powerplant investigation3.2Foreign object damage and bird ingestion3.3Uncontained engine failure3.4Hydraulic and electrical systems3.5Fuel: contamination and exhaustion3.6Avionics and autopilot modes3.7Envelope protection systems3.8Icing and anti-ice systems3.9Propellers and helicopter rotors3.10Practice: analysis of an engine failure on take-off
4.1Flight operations and SOP analysis4.2Crew resource management (CRM)4.3Mode confusion and automation4.4Spatial disorientation4.5Fatigue and flight time limitations4.6Air traffic control and communications4.7Meteorology: windshear and turbulence4.8Performance, weight and balance4.9Survival, evacuation and rescue4.10Case study: CFIT analysis
5.1FDR, CVR and lightweight recorders5.2Recovery of damaged memory5.3Mandatory parameters and recording rates5.4Flight animation and visualisation5.5CVR transcription and protection5.6Radar and ADS-B data5.7FDM/FOQA monitoring5.8Flight engineering simulation5.9Correlation of multi-source data5.10Laboratory: flight animation from FDR data
6.1Selecting the accident6.2Organisation and scope6.3Analysis of wreckage and systems6.4Flight data analysis6.5Human factors analysis6.6Determination of causes6.7Safety recommendations6.8Report writing6.9Dissertation and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Fully 100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine the course with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Curtiss-Wright Insight, ANSYS Mechanical, Pix4D, MATLAB, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for examining aircraft wreckage, workshop engine teardown and reading flight recorders. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Describe the civil aviation safety system.
Examine wreckage and structures to identify failure modes.
Analyse aircraft engine and systems failures.
Evaluate flight operations and the human factors involved.
Interpret flight and voice recorder data.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical regulatory reading.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
You work with Curtiss-Wright Insight, ANSYS Mechanical, Pix4D and MATLAB. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
SEIUM's own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. This is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be credited towards the advanced programme. Please check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
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