CMI Marine Accident Investigation Procedures 4

Question 1

When documenting a casualty scene aboard a vessel, which photographic practice is considered best evidence procedure?

Accepted Answer

Photographing from general overview to close-up detail with a scale reference in each frame

Answer

Best evidence photography proceeds from wide establishing shots to close-up details, always including a scale reference, to provide both context and precise dimensional information.

Question 2

In conducting a 'fault tree analysis' (FTA) of a marine accident, the top event represents:

Accepted Answer

The undesired outcome (the accident) from which the investigator reasons backward

Answer

In FTA, the top event is the accident itself, and the analysis works backward (deductively) through AND/OR logic gates to identify causal combinations.

Question 3

A marine casualty investigator determines that a collision occurred partly because the watch officer suffered from acute fatigue. Under which analytical framework would 'inadequate rest period scheduling' be identified as a latent condition?

Accepted Answer

James Reason's Swiss Cheese Model

Answer

James Reason's Swiss Cheese Model classifies inadequate organizational policies (like insufficient rest scheduling) as latent conditions — hidden failures lurking in the system before they align to produce an accident.

Question 4

Which criterion determines whether a marine casualty must be reported to the U.S. Coast Guard under 46 CFR 4.05-1?

Accepted Answer

The casualty results in a death, injury requiring medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of the vessel, or material damage exceeding $25,000

Answer

46 CFR 4.05-1 mandates reporting when a casualty causes a death, injury requiring beyond first-aid treatment, loss of vessel, or property damage exceeding $25,000.

Question 5

During a stability-related casualty investigation, which document is most critical for reconstructing the vessel's stability condition at the time of the accident?

Accepted Answer

The loading computer printout or stability booklet with actual departure/arrival loading conditions

Answer

The actual loading data from the stability booklet or loading computer provides the righting arm and metacentric height values needed to reconstruct the vessel's stability at the time of the casualty.

(CMI) Certified Marine Investigator Practice Test

(CMI) Certified Marine Investigator Practice Test

CMI Marine Accident Investigation Procedures 4