Managing Communications Following a Major Aviation Accident or Incident NTSB ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS

Transcription

1 Managing Communications Following a Major Aviation Accident or Incident NTSB ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS Junta de Investigación de Accidentes de Aviación Civil April 14, 2016

2 NTSB Headquarters Washington, DC

3 NTSB GOVERNANCE Reports directly to Congress Independent federal agency since 1974 No regulatory authority or role in enforcement activities Five Board Members and 400 employees Final report, including probable cause, may not be used in court but factual findings may be

4 Role of the On-Scene Board Member Robert Sumwalt

5 Media Briefings

6 Family Briefings

7 Meeting with Elected Officials

8 board members.

9 board members

10 BOARD MEMBER ROLE Face of the NTSB on-scene Role of spokesman on accident ends after leaving scene Investigative staff propose draft report, Members adopt or revise

11 Make transportation safer by: INVESTIGATING + RECOMMENDING + ADVOCATING

12 INVESTIGATE Every civil aviation accident in the U.S. (about 1,300 per year) Significant accidents in marine, highway, rail and pipeline In highway, that s about a dozen out of 10 million annually

13 Gulfstream IV Bedford, Mass. May 31, 2014

14 ntsb mission - aviation US Airways Flight 1702 Philadelphia Int l Airport March 13, 2014

15 UPS Flight 1354 Birmingham, Alabama August 14, 2013

16 ntsb mission - aviation Southwest Flight 345 New York LaGuardia Airport July 22, 2013

17 Asiana Flight 214 San Francisco International Airport July 6, 2013

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20 ntsb mission - rail Derailment of Amtrak 188 May 12, 2015

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22 Sinking of Cargo Ship El Faro Atlantic Ocean near Bahamas October 1, 2015

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24 Natural gas pipeline rupture New York City March 12, 2014

25 accident definition 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...

26 accident definition and in which any person suffers death or serious injury, or in which the aircraft receives substantial damage.

27 incident definition An occurrence, other than an accident, associated with the operation of an aircraft that affects or could affect the safety of operations.

28 757 runway excursion Jackson Hole, Wyoming

29 JAL B-787 Battery Fire Boston Logan Int l Airport

30 JAL B-787 Battery Fire Boston Logan Int l Airport

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32 NTSB ACCIDENT/INCIDENT RESPONSE Major: member go team Field: 1-3 investigators on-scene Incident: 1-3 investigators on-scene One of 50 investigators based throughout the U.S. will usually be on-scene within 6 hours to secure site and coordinate with emergency responders.

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34 NTSB Go Team leaving Washington

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36 investigative process

37 GO TEAM (arrives in 6-18 hours) Investigator-in-Charge (IIC) Board Member Public Affairs Officer Transportation Disaster Assistance Investigative Specialists

38 INVESTIGATIVE GROUPS Flight Operations Power Plants Aircraft Structures Aircraft Performance Aircraft Systems

39 INVESTIGATIVE GROUPS Air Traffic Control Meteorology Survival Factors Witnesses Airport Response and Preparedness

40 INVESTIGATIVE GROUPS (off scene) Cockpit Voice Recorder Flight Data Recorder Radar Data Maintenance Records

41 Go Team arrives at accident site San Francisco July 2013

42 CVR and FDR arriving at NTSB

43 PROGRESS MEETING First meeting: establish order, identify participants, organize groups, review rules of conduct Led by IIC Factual info shared Basis of media briefings

44 PARTY PROCESS NTSB picks parties that can offer technical expertise Parties prohibited from speaking publically about NTSB s investigative findings Investigative information is shared between parties (Party Agreement Form and Related Info and Guidance)

45 PARTIES Do not participate in the analysis of the draft final report Can contribute to the analytical process by submitting their own findings, recommendations and probable cause Information about investigation goes through party coordinator

46 POSSIBLE PARTIES TO NTSB AVIATION INVESTIGATION By law, FAA is always a party Air carrier operator Airport Emergency response agencies Manufacturer of airframe and engines Unions for pilots, F/As, ATC, mechanics, etc.

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48 ROLE OF THE US FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Routinely responds with NTSB to major transportation accidents without regard to any suspicion of criminal activity If criminal activity is determined to play a role, investigation is turned over to FBI

49 international investigations

50 international investigations

51 international investigations

52 international investigations

53 INVESTIGATIONS OUTSIDE USA ICAO Annex 13 Investigated by country where accident or incident occurred (if in international waters, country where aircraft is registered) Formal and official delegation De facto delegation

54 JIAAC INVESTIGATIONS WITH NTSB ACCREDITED REP Bell 206 in Mendoza Province on 12 DEC 2015 Boeing 777 in Buenos Aires on 12 DEC 2015 Learjet 35A in Buenos Aires on 19 OCT 2015 Cessna 182 in Bajo Hondo on 13 MAY 2015 Boeing 777 in Buenos Aires on 03 OCT 2014

55 FACT-FINDING HEARING (3-6 months after accident) Major accidents with high public interest often involving complex national safety issues. Often last 2-3 days Sworn testimony provided by parties to the investigation and others as needed Usually generates significant media coverage

56 BOARD MEETING (12-18 months after accident) Board reviews and discusses the draft report with staff in a public meeting Major issues are explored at length The final report, conclusions, probable cause and recommendations are adopted Board Member and investigator comments go on record in a highly visible venue

57 investigative process NTSB Board Meeting on Asiana Flight 214

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59 Investigation timeline: months total

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