Safety in the skies : personnel and parties in NTSB aviation accident investigations
- نوع فایل : کتاب
- زبان : انگلیسی
- مؤلف : Cynthia C Lebow; et al
- ناشر : Santa Monica, CA : RAND
- چاپ و سال / کشور: 1999
- شابک / ISBN : 9780833028068
Description
CONTENTS Preface ......................................... v Figures ......................................... xi Summary ....................................... xiii Acknowledgments................................. xvii Abbreviations .................................... xxi Chapter One STUDY OVERVIEW ............................. 1 A National Focus on Air Safety ..................... 3 The Role of the NTSB in Aviation Safety .............. 4 Objectives of the Study .......................... 6 Research Approach ............................. 9 Chapter Two AIR ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION TODAY ............ 13 Investigating a Major Commercial Aviation Accident .... 14 The Party Process ............................ 15 Accident Report Preparation .................... 15 Investigating a General Aviation Accident ........... 17 The Role of the NTSB in International Aviation Accident Investigations ............................. 17 Family Assistance and the Office of Family Affairs ...... 18 Chapter Three STUDY FINDINGS.............................. 19 The NTSB Is Nearing the Breaking Point ............. 23 The Party Process Has Structural Limitations .......... 29 x Safety in the Skies Lack of Training, Equipment, and Facilities Is Threatening NTSB Independence ........................ 33 Poor Control of Information Hampers Investigations .... 38 Investigative Methods Need to Be Improved .......... 39 NTSB Resources Are Not Effectively Utilized .......... 43 Chapter Four CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.......... 45 Conclusions .................................. 45 Recommendations ............................. 47 Strengthen the Party Process .................... 47 Create a More Expansive Statement of Causation ..... 49 Modernize Investigative Procedures ............... 49 Streamline Internal Operating Procedures .......... 51 Better Manage Resources....................... 52 Maintain a Strategic View of Staffing............... 53 Streamline Training Practices.................... 54 Improve Facilities for Engineering and Training ...... 55
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 operators, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration. This arrangement works well under most circumstances, despite inherent conflicts of interest that may jeopardize, or be perceived to jeopardize, the integrity 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. Additionally, the need to modernize investigative practices and procedures is particularly acute. In this report, RAND outlines a comprehensive set of recommendations intended to help the NTSB strengthen the party process, create a more expansive statement of causation, modernize investigative procedures, streamline internal operating procedures, better manage resources, maintain a strategic view of staffing, streamline training practices, improve facilities for engineering and training.
