Will filing an Aviation Safety Report with NASA ensure that the FAA won't find out about a violation?

Filing an Aviation Safety Report with NASA does not guarantee that the FAA will remain unaware of any violations. While the purpose of the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System is to encourage the reporting of safety issues by providing confidentiality and immunity from certain forms of enforcement action, there are circumstances under which the FAA may still become aware of a violation. For instance, if the same incident is reported through different channels or if there is evidence of the violation that is independently discovered by the FAA, they could take action regardless of the NASA report.

Additionally, the confidentiality protections apply primarily when an individual self-reports a safety issue without any indication of deliberate misconduct or egregious behavior. If an act is deemed extremely negligent or egregious, the protections may not apply, and the FAA could investigate and take action based on their findings. Therefore, while reporting to NASA is encouraged to enhance aviation safety, it is not a blanket assurance that the FAA will be unaware of any violations.