The need to organise technical investigations into aircraft accidents, with the aim of reinforcing safety, was recognised in France as early as 1934. The BEA itself came into existence in 1946. In 1951 it was separated from the services under the tutelage of French Civil Aviation (today known as the DGAC) and was attached to the General Inspectorate for Civil Aviation and Meteorology.

Internationally, the first norms and recommended practices relative to aircraft accident investigation were adopted by the ICAO council on April 11 1951, in accordance with the provisions of the international civil aviation Convention (Chicago, 1944), constituting Annex 13 of the Convention. These norms and recommended practices were based on the recommendations developed in 1946 during the accident investigation division’s first session and were completed in February 1947 during its second session. Annex 13 is today in its ninth edition.