AS9100 is the quality management standard widely used across the aviation, space, and defence supply chain. It builds on ISO 9001 and adds aerospace topics such as product safety, configuration control, and counterfeit part prevention. Like ISO 9001, it expects nonconformities to be controlled and corrected, with causes found and action checked. Many aerospace customers ask for that response in an 8D or a similar structured corrective action form. This page covers what such a response usually needs to show. It is a general guide, not a reading of the standard: use the current AS9100 text, your customer’s supplier requirements, and their form.
What aerospace customers usually look for
- Fast, wide containment: parts in stock, in transit, at the customer, and in assemblies already delivered.
- Customer notification: if nonconforming product may have shipped, tell the customer promptly, as AS9100 expects for delivered nonconforming product.
- Traceability: serial or lot numbers, so the affected population is clear.
- A cause that is proved, not assumed, with evidence for both occurrence and escape.
- Human factors handled properly: AS9100 asks for root cause analysis that includes human and human-factors causes. If a person made an error, the report explains what in the process allowed it.
- Actions that cover similar parts, programs, and processes, not only the part in the complaint.
- Verification with data from after the change, and a decision on when containment can stop.
Mapping the 8D to an aerospace corrective action
D1–D2 set the team and describe the nonconformity with part number, revision, serial or lot numbers, and how it was found. D3 is containment across every location, with quantities. D4 is the root cause, for occurrence and for escape; see how to write D4 root cause . D5–D6 are the permanent action and its verification. D7 covers similar products and processes, and any update to risk analysis or work instructions. D8 is closure, once the evidence is in.
Human error is a starting point, not a cause
Aerospace corrective actions often get pushed back when the cause says “operator error” and the action says “retrained”. Ask why the error was possible and why it wasn’t caught: unclear instructions, a step that can be skipped, poor lighting, time pressure, or a missing check. See operator error is not a root cause .
Weak vs stronger aerospace responses
The examples below are illustrative and fictional, not from real cases.
Machining, wrong revision (illustrative)
Weak response: “Machined to old drawing revision. Operator reminded to check revision.”
Stronger response: Explains how an obsolete drawing was available at the machine, why the release check did not stop it, and changes document control so only the current revision can be used.
Evidence to attach: Document control change, list of other jobs checked, and first article results on the next parts.
Composites, porosity (illustrative)
Weak response: “Porosity found. Parts scrapped.”
Stronger response: Contains all parts from the same cure cycles, traces the cause to a specific step in the cure set-up, and adds a check at that step.
Evidence to attach: Cure records, inspection results for contained parts, and results after the change.
Fasteners, missing documentation (illustrative)
Weak response: “Certificate of conformity missing from shipment. Resent.”
Stronger response: Finds why the packing step allowed shipment without the document and adds a hold until documents are matched.
Evidence to attach: Revised packing instruction and audit of later shipments.
Assembly, foreign object debris (FOD) (illustrative)
Weak response: “Loose debris found in assembly. Area cleaned.”
Stronger response: Identifies the debris source, adds tool and material controls at that step, and checks other assemblies built in the same period.
Evidence to attach: Inspection of other assemblies, the new control, and later inspection results.
Written your aerospace 8D? Get a free Accept / Conditional / Reject advisory on the report text, with missing evidence named, before it goes to the customer.
8D Gate is a free pre-send readiness advisory. It doesn't replace the customer's decision. We don't store your 8D body in our database; you can delete anytime. Anthropic processes the text for the review.
Verification and closure
Show data from after the change: first article or inspection results on the following parts, and a monitoring period your customer accepts. If results aren’t in yet, state what is open, the planned check, the date, and the owner. See 8D D6 verification of effectiveness .
Before you send
- The affected population is defined by serial or lot numbers.
- Containment covers stock, transit, the customer, and delivered assemblies.
- D4 has an occurrence cause and an escape cause, each with evidence.
- Human error is explained by the process conditions that allowed it.
- D7 lists similar parts and processes checked.
- D6 has data from after the change, or a dated open item.
- The response uses the customer’s form and meets their deadline.
Use the 8D report template for the structure. For the difference between an internal CAPA record and a customer 8D, see CAPA vs 8D . If the finding came from an audit, see how to answer an audit finding with an 8D .
FAQ
- Does AS9100 require the 8D format?
- AS9100 expects nonconformities and corrective action to be handled, but the format usually comes from your customer. Many aerospace customers use 8D or a similar structured form. Check their supplier requirements.
- How is an aerospace 8D different from an automotive one?
- The structure is the same. Aerospace responses often put more weight on traceability by serial number, configuration and documentation, human factors, and delivered assemblies. For automotive, see the IATF 16949 page.
- Does 8D Gate check AS9100 compliance?
- No. It is a pre-send readiness check of the report text. You get an Accept / Conditional / Reject advisory, missing evidence, and questions. It isn’t an audit, a compliance check, or a customer decision. The review tool is v0.1: it reviews English 8D reports, and the interface and report are in English. Templates are also available in German, Czech and Polish.
Free pre-send readiness check
Before the report goes out, run the text through the free supplier 8D readiness check.
Paste text or upload PDF, DOCX, or Excel. You get an Accept / Conditional / Reject advisory, a score, section ratings, missing evidence, and questions to close gaps, with a PDF download. It is a pre-send readiness check for your team, not a customer decision.
8D Gate is a free pre-send readiness advisory. It doesn't replace the customer's decision. We don't store your 8D body in our database; you can delete anytime. Anthropic processes the text for the review.
Get the free 8D / D4 checklist
Keep the one-page version next to your corrective action form. It covers D1–D8 and goes deeper on D4 occurrence, escape, and verification.
Get the free 8D / D4 checklist