Office of Aviation Safety Structure, Authority and Definitions

The Office of Aviation Safety Responsible for the Safety Board’s aviation accident investigations Director Office of Aviation Safety Director Office of Aviation Safety Deputy Director Regional Technical/ Investigative Operations Deputy Director Regional Technical/ Investigative Operations Deputy Director Technical/Investigative Operations Deputy Director Technical/Investigative Operations Deputy Director International Aviation Safety Affairs Deputy Director International Aviation Safety Affairs Regional Operations and General Aviation Regional Operations and General Aviation Major Investigations Major Investigations Operational Factors Operational Factors Aviation Engineering Aviation Engineering Human Performance Human Performance Survival Factors Survival Factors Writing & Editing Writing & Editing Northeast Regional Office Northeast Regional Office Northwest Regional Office Northwest Regional Office North Central Regional Office North Central Regional Office Southeast Regional Office Southeast Regional Office South Central Regional Office South Central Regional Office Southwest Regional Office Southwest Regional Office Northeast Field Office Northeast Field Office Northwest Field Office Northwest Field Office Southeast Field Office Southeast Field Office South Central Field Office South Central Field Office

 The Office of Aviation Safety is composed of about 140 men and women. About half of the positions are located in the headquarters office and the other half divided among the regional and field offices. The Office of Aviation Safety Regional Office Field Office Headquarters Regional Office Field Office Headquarters Seattle, Washington Gardena, California Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta, Georgia Arlington, Texas West Chicago, Illinois Parsippany, New Jersey Washington, DC Miami, Florida Anchorage, Alaska Denver, Colorado

Statutory Authority The National Transportation Safety Board shall investigate each accident involving a U.S. aircraft other than an aircraft operated by the Armed Forces or by an intelligence agency of the United States

Statutory Authority This includes  U.S. designed/manufactured aircraft and engines in accordance with Annex 13 to the International Convention on Civil Aviation  Foreign aircraft in U.S. territories and possessions This includes  U.S. designed/manufactured aircraft and engines in accordance with Annex 13 to the International Convention on Civil Aviation  Foreign aircraft in U.S. territories and possessions

Application of Authority The statutory authority assures that the Safety Board can  Access, secure, and retrieve wreckage  Obtain information through records and interviews The statutory authority assures that the Safety Board can  Access, secure, and retrieve wreckage  Obtain information through records and interviews

Rights of Interviewees  Right to have representation  Right to protection from self-incrimination  Right of exclusion  Right to have representation  Right to protection from self-incrimination  Right of exclusion

Limitations The Safety Board cannot  Grant immunity from prosecution  Assure confidentiality The Safety Board cannot  Grant immunity from prosecution  Assure confidentiality

Interviewee concerns for confidentiality are considered in light of importance of free flow of information

Autopsies  The NTSB may order an autopsy  Family religious beliefs considered in decision  Local laws may override family preference not to autopsy  The NTSB may order an autopsy  Family religious beliefs considered in decision  Local laws may override family preference not to autopsy

Toxicology Authority  The NTSB makes requests for toxicological testing to: –FAA personnel (air traffic controllers) –Individuals –Companies  The NTSB makes requests for toxicological testing to: –FAA personnel (air traffic controllers) –Individuals –Companies The NTSB has no authority to order toxicological tests on living persons

Toxicology Authority  FAA regulations require pilots of Part 121 carriers to submit to toxicological testing within 2 hours of an accident  Local officials may have authority to request toxicological tests  FAA regulations require pilots of Part 121 carriers to submit to toxicological testing within 2 hours of an accident  Local officials may have authority to request toxicological tests

The scope of Safety Board investigations is defined in 49 CFR Definitions

Aircraft Accident: An occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft that takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and all such persons have disembarked, and in which... Aircraft Accident: An occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft that takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and all such persons have disembarked, and in which... Definitions

 Any person suffers death or serious injury, or in which  The aircraft receives substantial damage  Any person suffers death or serious injury, or in which  The aircraft receives substantial damage Definitions

Fatal injury: Any injury that results in death within 30 days of the accident Fatal injury: Any injury that results in death within 30 days of the accident Definitions

A serious injury is any injury that:  Requires hospitalization for more than 48 hours, commencing within 7 days of the date that the injury was received  Results in a fracture of any bone (except simple fractures of fingers, toes, or nose) A serious injury is any injury that:  Requires hospitalization for more than 48 hours, commencing within 7 days of the date that the injury was received  Results in a fracture of any bone (except simple fractures of fingers, toes, or nose) Definitions

 Causes severe hemorrhages, nerve, muscle, or tendon damage  Involves any internal organ  Involves 2 nd or 3 rd degree burns or any burns affecting more than 5% of the body surface  Causes severe hemorrhages, nerve, muscle, or tendon damage  Involves any internal organ  Involves 2 nd or 3 rd degree burns or any burns affecting more than 5% of the body surface Definitions

Substantial damage is damage or failure that:  Adversely affects the structural strength, performance, or flight characteristics of the aircraft, and which  Would normally require major repair or replacement of the affected component Substantial damage is damage or failure that:  Adversely affects the structural strength, performance, or flight characteristics of the aircraft, and which  Would normally require major repair or replacement of the affected component Definitions

Incident : An occurrence other than an accident associated with the operation of an aircraft, which affects or could affect the safety of operations Definitions

Notification and Reporting The operator of an aircraft shall immediately and by the most expeditious means available notify the nearest NTSB Field Office when an aircraft accident or any of the following incidents occur:  Flight control system malfunction  Inability of any crew member to perform normal flight duties as a result of injury or illness The operator of an aircraft shall immediately and by the most expeditious means available notify the nearest NTSB Field Office when an aircraft accident or any of the following incidents occur:  Flight control system malfunction  Inability of any crew member to perform normal flight duties as a result of injury or illness

Notification and Reporting  Failure of structural components of a turbine engine excluding compressor and turbine blades and vanes  In-flight fire  Aircraft collision in flight  Damage to property, other than the aircraft, estimated to exceed $25,000 for repair (including labor and materials) or fair market value in the event of a total loss, whichever is less  Failure of structural components of a turbine engine excluding compressor and turbine blades and vanes  In-flight fire  Aircraft collision in flight  Damage to property, other than the aircraft, estimated to exceed $25,000 for repair (including labor and materials) or fair market value in the event of a total loss, whichever is less

Notification and Reporting For large multi-engine aircraft (more than 12,500 pound maximum certificated takeoff weight):  In-flight failure of electrical systems that requires the sustained use of any emergency bus powered by a back-up source such as a battery, auxiliary power unit, or air-driven generator to retain flight control or essential instruments  In-flight failure of hydraulic systems that results in sustained reliance on the sole remaining hydraulic or mechanical system for movement of flight control surfaces For large multi-engine aircraft (more than 12,500 pound maximum certificated takeoff weight):  In-flight failure of electrical systems that requires the sustained use of any emergency bus powered by a back-up source such as a battery, auxiliary power unit, or air-driven generator to retain flight control or essential instruments  In-flight failure of hydraulic systems that results in sustained reliance on the sole remaining hydraulic or mechanical system for movement of flight control surfaces

Notification and Reporting  Sustained loss of power or thrust produced by two or more engines  An evacuation of an aircraft in which an emergency egress system is utilized  An aircraft is overdue and is believed to have been involved in an accident  Sustained loss of power or thrust produced by two or more engines  An evacuation of an aircraft in which an emergency egress system is utilized  An aircraft is overdue and is believed to have been involved in an accident