National Transportation Safety Board Responsibilities

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has responsibilities inside and outside the aviation industrial sector. More specifically, in addition to 

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In 1996, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was assigned the role of integrating the resources of the federal government with those of local and state authorities and the airlines to meet the needs of aviation disaster victims and their families. As a result, the Federal Family Assistance Plan for Aviation Disasters was developed and implemented. This plan describes the airline and federal responsibilities in response to an aviation crash involving a significant number of passenger fatalities or injuries (NTSB, 2006, 2007). 

National Transportation Safety Board, Collision of Norfolk Southern Freight Train 192 with Standing Norfolk Southern Local Train P22 With Subsequent Hazardous Materials Release at Graniteville, South Carolina, January 6, 2005, Railroad Accident Report, NTSB/RAR-05/04, 2005 VROM Inspectorate, 2005 Annual Report, The Netherlands Ministry of Housing, Spatial Plaiming and the Environment, 2006 Wadsworth, T., Evaluation of the Response by Specialized Foreign Vessels to the Release of Oil From Prestige. ITOPF Ltd., 2005... 

Time-loss analysis. A tool developed by the National Transportation Safety Board to evaluate postaccident responses by rescuers, firefighters, medics, and other emergency response personnel. 

Time-loss analysis is a special-purpose technique used to evaluate accident responses. System Safety Development Center courses that teach the technique credit the National Transportation Safety Board (specifically Driver and Benner) with developing and reporting the technique. 

A study conducted by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board reported that 73% of accidents were due to flight crew failures rather than technical-related problems [10]. Furthermore, the studies conducted by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (in the form of pilot interviews, simulator observations, and accident analyses) reported that there was a definite need for more focus on team work and communication of pilots including command, decision making, and leadership [3]. Furthermore, the studies revealed that the crew factors such as the attitudes of the team toward communication and coordination, command responsibility, and recognition of stressor effects affect safety performance. 

National Transportation Safety Board. 1986. Northeast Utilities Service Co. Explosion and Fire Derby, Connecticut December 6, 1995. Pipeline Accident Report NTSB/PAR-86/02. Washington, DC. As a result of the Northeast Utility Service Company s positive response to Safety Recommendation P-86-19, the reconunenda-tion was classified Closed— Acceptable Action on May 14, 1987. 

Since then, CAA has evolved into the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and, similarly, CAB has evolved into the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Now, both FAA and NTSB are part of the U.S. Department of Transportation [7]. The current responsibilities of both FAA and NTSB are discussed in the following subsections. 

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