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

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

NTSB Headquarters Washington, DC

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

Role of the On-Scene Board Member Robert Sumwalt

Media Briefings

Family Briefings

Meeting with Elected Officials

board members.

board members

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

Make transportation safer by: INVESTIGATING + RECOMMENDING + ADVOCATING

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

Gulfstream IV Bedford, Mass. May 31, 2014

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

UPS Flight 1354 Birmingham, Alabama August 14, 2013

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

Asiana Flight 214 San Francisco International Airport July 6, 2013

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

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

Natural gas pipeline rupture New York City March 12, 2014

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...

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

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

757 runway excursion Jackson Hole, Wyoming

JAL B-787 Battery Fire Boston Logan Int l Airport

NTSB ACCIDENT/INCIDENT RESPONSE Major: 15-25 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.

NTSB Go Team leaving Washington

investigative process

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

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

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

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

Go Team arrives at accident site San Francisco July 2013

CVR and FDR arriving at NTSB

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

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 http://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/forms/ntsb_investigation_party_form.pdf (Party Agreement Form and Related Info and Guidance)

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

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.

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

international investigations

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

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

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

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

investigative process NTSB Board Meeting on Asiana Flight 214

Investigation timeline: 12-18 months total