Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can I attached photographs or documents when I submit a Service Difficulty Report or Malfunction/Defect Report?
A. At this time you can’t attached photographs or supporting documents. Please send your attachments to the following mailbox (9-AMC-SDR-ProgMgr@faa.gov) and make sure you provide the Unique Control Number, date of submission, or Aircraft Registration.


Q. How do I submit supplemental information to a report that was previously submitted?
A. Fill out the new record using the same Unique Control Number as the original record. We will be able to pull up both records up and update the original record with the supplemental (new) information in problem description field to alleviate any confusion. For assistance, please send us an email to the following mailbox (9-AMC-SDR-ProgMgr@faa.gov).


Q. How do I submit a report for “Components” only?
A. If a 145 Repair Stations is only working on components and not the actual aircraft, simply fill out all of the information about the defective part of the component in Section 5 (Specific Part or Structure Causing Difficulty) and give the component information in Section 6 (Component/Assembly That Includes Defective Part). You can submit the record without the aircraft, engine, or propeller information.



If you do not have that detailed information, place the actuator information in Section 5 (Specific Part or Structure Causing Problem Difficulty) and submit a supplemental when the cause of the malfunction or defect of the actuator is discovered. To submit a supplemental, use the Unique Control Number of the original record and send the cause of the failure.

Part Numbers are very important, as well as using the look-up tables provided.

Q. How do I submit a correction to a report?
A. Send us an email to the following address (9-AMC-SDR-ProgMgr@faa.gov), include the Unique Control Number and let us know what to correct.


Q. On the Recent Submission List, why is my record showing as being deleted?
A. The record was rejected because it did not meet the requirements of the appropriate regulation and it was not a reportable SDR event. The Unique Control Number was not formatted correctly and we had to change it to the correct format.


Q. What does the status “Ready for Review” mean on my Recent Submission List?
A. “Ready for Review” indicates the record has passed the QC process, the record is in the Database and is available for review.


Q. Why can’t I find my report?
A. All submitted reports have to go through a Quality Control process. Until they are reviewed and processed, they will not be available on the website. If the record is needed in response to an emergency request by the FAA, you may request the record to be processed as soon as possible. Send an email to the following email address (9-AMC-SDR-ProgMgr@faa.gov).


Q. When will AC 20-109A be updated, it is very old and the information is obsolete?
A. We are working on an update to AC 20-109B. The target date for availability is January 2022.


Q. Do I have to have an account for different companies?
A. Yes. SDR accounts have to have a different email per designator.


Q. Will my account go Inactive if I don’t use it for an extended period of time?
A. No. However, we periodically conduct a review of our SDR accounts to verify the email addresses are correct. So, you can expect a verification email for this purpose. If you do not respond within a specified timeframe, for security reason, your account will be inactivated.


Q. How do I change my email address on my account?
A. Send us an email to the following mailbox (9-AMC-SDR-ProgMgr@faa.gov).


Q. What do I do if I can’t find an Aircraft on the Look-Up table?
A. Enter the aircraft and if we can’t find it in our Look-Up table, we will add it and it will be available in the future.


Q. What do I do if I can’t find a Part, Engine, or Component on the Look-Up table?
A. Enter the Part, Engine, or Component and if we can’t find it in our Look-Up tables, we will add them and they will be available in the future.


Q. I am an FAA Inspector, do I need to create a SDR account to review my carrier’s reports?
A. No. You do not need to create an SDR account to review your carrier’s reports. Go to “Search All Processed Reports”.


Q. Does the FAA maintain separate SDRS databases for SDR and MorDs; or are reports in separate databases based on the submitter type (i.e., Mandatory vs voluntary)?
A. No. Regardless of the format used to submit a report [i.e., Mechanical Reliability Reports (MRRs), Malfunction or Defect Reports (MorDs), Maintenance Difficulty Reports (MDRs), or Service Difficulty Reports (SDRs)] all reports are converted into a common SDR format, as they are generally called. All records are stored in the SDRS database, and made available to the appropriate segments of the FAA for review and analysis, the aviation community, and the public.


Q. When should I submit a report to the FAA?
A. A report should be filed whenever a system, component, or part of an aircraft, powerplant, propeller, or appliance fails to function in a normal or usual manner. In addition, if a system, component, or part of an aircraft, powerplant, propeller, or appliance has a flaw or imperfection, which impairs or may impair its future function; it is considered defective and should be reported to the FAA, in accordance with the applicable FAA regulation.