February 1, 2011  

Chairman Debbie Hersman delivered the keynote address at the 22^nd Aviation Law and Insurance Symposium hosted by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on January 7, 2011, in Orlando, Florida.  She highlighted the excellent work performed by the NTSB investigators in foreign aviation accident investigations and the many benefits of our involvement for the domestic aviation industry and U.S. taxpayer.  Under Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization, NTSB investigators are authorized to serve as the U.S.-accredited representative in accidents occurring outside of the U.S. and to lead a team of technical advisors in the investigation.

You might be surprised to know that we launch on more major accidents in other countries than in the U.S.; approximately 75% of our air carrier accident and incident investigations each year are non-U.S. events and about 1/3 of the recorders read out in our lab are from foreign accidents.  To read more about the NTSB's work abroad, see the Chairman's remarks.