From Where I Sit: NTSB Resources to Enhance Safety

For many, the NTSB conjures up an image of investigators in blue windbreakers with big yellow letters combing an accident scene where people have lost their lives and others have been injured.

Yet beyond this classic image, the NTSB provides tremendous safety resources that are available to everyone. Presented here are just five examples of NTSB activities and resources that can help you and your organization enhance safety. First, to provide some context, is a very brief introduction to the NTSB.

The NTSB is an independent federal agency (it is not part of the DOT or any other government branch) that was created in 1967 to determine the probable cause of major transportation accidents and make safety recommendations so that they do not reoccur. Since 1967, the NTSB has conducted over 130,000 accident investigations and made almost 13,500 safety recommendations to about 2,500 different organizations. The NTSB has no regulatory or enforcement power and yet over 80% of NTSB safety recommendations are acted on in an acceptable/positive manner. The NTSB investigates accidents in all modes of transportation: aviation, rail, highway, marine, and pipeline with a statutory requirement to investigate all domestic aviation accidents (excluding military).

Here are five NTSB activities/resources that are available to support you and your organization to enhance aviation safety:

Safety Resource #1: Accident Reports.
The approximately 2,000 aviation accidents investigated annually by the NTSB result in at least a brief report. Major accidents can require a year-long investigation, may possibly involve a public hearing, and a public board meeting is held to determine the findings, probable cause, and safety recommendations. Each accident represents a valuable case study: errors, event chains, multiple layers, survival factors and so many other lessons learned. NTSB accident reports (available at www.ntsb.gov) are an invaluable source to understand what went wrong and what needs to change to enhance safety.

Safety Resource #2: Safety Recommendations.
Perhaps the NTSB’s major “product,” safety recommendations, are issued to any organization that can effect change. If, during the course of an investigation an issue is identified that should be addressed immediately, the NTSB can issue an “Urgent Recommendation.” Safety recommendations identify the actions needed to address the findings and probable cause of the accident, so that a similar accident does not occur. On the NTSB website, safety recommendations can be searched and there are summaries of actions taken (or not) in response to the recommendations.

Safety Resource #3: NTSB Most Wanted List.
This year, the Most Wanted List underwent some major changes, including a reduction to 10 items. Six of the Most Wanted List issues are related to aviation: pilot and air traffic controller professionalism, addressing human fatigue, runway safety, recorders, safety management systems, and general aviation safety. On the NTSB website, there is a downloadable brochure, sections on each issue, as well as relevant accident reports and safety recommendations. The Most Wanted List is an excellent advocacy tool used extensively by the NTSB to address transportation safety issues.

Safety Resource #4: Forums and Symposia.
Every year, the NTSB holds forums and symposia on a variety of transportation safety topics (www.ntsb.gov/news/events.html). Recent aviation events were held on professionalism, code sharing, air bag performance in general aviation, NTSB’s role in international investigations, and a recent forum on public aircraft operations. These events are held in the NTSB Board Room in Washington, D.C., and streamed live via webcast on the NTSB website, then archived. Typically, there is no cost to attend these events.

Safety Resource #5: NTSB Training Center.
The NTSB Training Center in Ashburn, Va., provides an array of diverse courses. Some courses are offered on a regular basis and there are participant fees. Course topics include accident investigation, interviewing, family assistance, investigating human fatigue factors, managing communications in an accident investigation and survival factors.

“From tragedy we draw knowledge to improve the safety of us all.”
These words are on the entrance of the NTSB Training Center and are often cited by Agency personnel as representing our core mission. Tragic accidents have occurred, lives have been lost, people hurt and families’ lives changed forever. Every accident provides an opportunity to apply the lessons learned and make transportation safer for all of us. As an aviation professional, you share this responsibility. Please explore and exploit the many NTSB resources readily available to you and your organization that can support your efforts to enhance safety.