Related Directory Categories
Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
National Transportation Safety Board
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article or section is missing citations or needs footnotes. Using inline citations helps guard against copyright violations and factual inaccuracies. |
| National Transportation Safety Board |
|
 Official seal and emblem |
|
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | April 1, 1967 |
| Preceding Agency | Civil Aeronautics Board |
| Jurisdiction | Federal government of the United States |
| Headquarters | 490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, D.C. |
| Employees | 359 (2006) |
| Annual Budget | $76.7 million USD (2006) |
| Agency Executives | Mark Rosenker, Chairman Robert Sumwalt, Vice Chairman |
| Website | |
| www.ntsb.gov | |
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent agency responsible for investigation of accidents involving aviation, highway, marine, pipelines and railroads in the United States (except aircraft of the armed forces and the intelligence agencies). 49 USCS § 1131 (2006). It is charged by the U.S. Congress to investigate every civil aviation accident in the United States, as well as significant accidents in other modes of transportation (such as the Big Bayou Canot train disaster near Mobile, Alabama). The organization is also in charge of investigating cases of hazardous waste releases that occur from modes of transportation. Mark Rosenker was appointed as Vice Chairman in 2003 and Acting Chairman in March 2005. He has held the position of the Chairman since August 2006. Robert Sumwalt is the vice chairman. The board is based in Washington, D.C.
Contents |
It was established as an independent organization in 1967, taking over the investigative functions of the Civil Aeronautics Board, among other duties. Originally established with strong ties to the US Department of Transportation, these ties were later severed under the Independent Safety Board Act of 1975. The organization receives its authority from Chapter 11, Title 49 of the United States Code. It has investigated over 124,000 aviation incidents since its establishment.
The board has five members appointed by the President for five year terms, one of whom is designated the chairman by the U.S. President and then approved by the U.S. Senate for a fixed 2-year term. Another member is designated as vice chairman, and becomes acting chairman when there is no formal chairman.
No more than three of the five members can be from the same political party[1].
Organization within the Board is composed of separate sub-offices for highway safety, maritime safety, aviation safety, railroad, pipeline, and hazardous material investigations, research and engineering, recommendations and communications, academy and administrative law judges. These sub-offices report to the Office of Management.
The NTSB is normally the lead organization in the investigation of a transportation accident within its sphere. However, this power can be surrendered to other organizations if the US Attorney General declares the case to be linked to an intentional criminal act. This occurred during the investigation of the September 11th, 2001 attacks, when the US Justice Department took over the investigation.
An investigation of an incident within the United States typically starts with the creation of a "go team", composed of specialists in fields relating to the incident. This is followed by the designation of other organizations or corporations as parties to the investigation. The Board may then choose to hold public hearings on the issue. Finally, it will compose a final statement and may issue safety recommendations.
The NTSB may investigate incidents or accidents occurring outside the United States under certain circumstances. These may include:
- accidents or incidents occurring to American-registered or American-owned aircraft (other than an aircraft operated by the Armed Forces or by an intelligence agency of the United States) in foreign airspace if the aircraft both departed and was scheduled to land in the United States. This has happened on rare occasion with respect to flights to and within Alaska that have crashed in Canada. [2]
- accidents or incidents occurring to American-registered or American-owned aircraft in countries without a transportation investigative board. [3] [4]
The NTSB, if asked, will also provide technical and other advice for a fee to transportation investigative boards in countries that do not have the equipment or specialized technicians available to undertake all aspects of a complex investigation.
- The Civil Aeronautics Board, which investigated air accidents prior to 1967
- Air safety
- Aviation accidents and incidents
- Church bus and school bus safety
- Transportation Safety Board, the Canadian counterpart agency.
- Air Accidents Investigation Branch, the British counterpart agency.
- Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la sécurité de l'Aviation Civile, the French counterpart agency.
- Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung, the German counterpart agency.
- Israel Civil Aviation Authority, the Israeli counterpart agency