INSPECTOR GENERAL GIVES NTSB "CLEAN" FINANCIAL REPORT FOR A SECOND YEAR

Washington, D.C. - For the second consecutive year the National Transportation Safety Board's financial statements received an unqualified, or "clean," opinion from the Department of Transportation Inspector General.

The results derive from an audit conducted on the Safety Board's financial statements for Fiscal Year 2004. In addition, the Board met the new accelerated submission deadline of November 15th.

"The Safety Board strives to ensure that the same level of integrity that we use in our investigations is utilized in our financial management," said NTSB Chairman Ellen Engleman Conners. "It is important to protect and preserve the taxpayer's dollars so that we can efficiently and effectively use our resources in our safety investigations."

The audit was conducted by Leon Snead and Company CPA of Rockville, Maryland. The Accountability of Tax Dollars Act of 2002 requires small agencies, such as the NTSB, to submit audited financial statements to the Congress and the Office of Management and Budget. The NTSB Reauthorization Act of 2000 gave the DOT/IG its audit oversight authority over the NTSB's financial management, property management and business operations.

Media Contact: Keith Holloway, (202) 314-6100