Introduction
The NTSB and FAA are pivotal to the safety of the traveling public in the United States and throughout the world. Although they are not a regulatory agency and do not command significant enforcement powers, the NTSB and FAA exert enormous influence based on the independence and accuracy of its accident investigations and the authority of its recommendations. The NTSB is charged with the responsibility for investigating and establishing the facts, circumstances, and probable cause of transportation accidents and making safety recommendations to governmental agencies to prevent similar accidents from happening in the future.
Fundamentally, the Safety Board provides a quality assurance function vital to the ongoing safety of all modes of transportation. The NTSB's unique role in transportation safety is contingent on the ability of the board members and the professional staff to conduct independent investigations of accidents and major incidents and, in so doing, to assure public confidence in the safety of our national transportation systems.
The NTSB has become most publicly identified with its investigations of major commercial aviation accidents. The NTSB has the responsibility for investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States. In addition, based on the agency's mandate under Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (known as the Chicago Convention) and related international agreements, the NTSB participates to a greater or lesser degree in the investigation of commercial aviation accidents throughout the world.
The NTSB relies on teamwork to resolve accidents, naming “parties” that include manufacturers, operators, and, by law, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to participate in the investigation. This collaborative arrangement works well under most circumstances, leveraging NTSB resources and providing critical information relevant to the safety-related purpose of the NTSB investigation..................
