Safety in the Skies : Personnel and Parties in NTSB Aviation Accident Investigations

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) bears a significant share of the responsibility for ensuring the safety of domestic and international air travel.

The NTSB relies on teamwork to resolve accidents; the parties that participate in an investigation may include manufacturers and operatiors, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration.

This arrangement works well under most circumstances, despite inherent conflicts of interest may jeopardize, or be perceived to jeopardize, the intergity of the NTSB investigation.

The NTSB's ability to lead investigations and to form expert teams is also seriously threatened by a lack of training, equipment, and facilities; by poor control of information; and inadequate aids to project management.