National Transportation Safety Board International Aviation Safety Program
Aircraft Accident Investigations
Research and Engineering Assistance
Safety Training, Advocacy and Outreach
Family Affairs Assistance
Notes:
The international program of the NTSB consists of four elements.
The most obvious activity is Aircraft Accident Investigation. This function deals directly with the investigation of serious incidents or accidents occurring outside the territories of the United States.
These events involve either a U.S. operator or airline, a U.S. registered aircraft, or aircraft and aviation products designed and manufactured here in the U.S. In addition we should note that from time to time, the Safety Board is invited to participate in foreign investigations of a special nature, including, for example, an accident of a new type design, or accidents with special visibility due to U.S. citizens or some sort of special mission.
Another element of the international program is Research and Engineering Assistance. The Office of Research and Engineering staff receives frequent requests from foreign governments for investigative assistance. Some requests involve metallurgical studies or failure analysis. Other investigations require transcripts of cockpit voice recorder tapes, and readouts of digital flight data recorders. On some occasions there are also requests to provide sound spectrum analysis or flight path animations from flight recorder information. In addition, engineering work can also include detailed analysis of airplane performance derived from the recorders and other facts surrounding the accident.
A third element of the international program involves Safety Training, Advocacy and Outreach. These initiatives take place with our peers in the world aviation community. We provide not only technical investigative training, but we also pursue other specific safety issues important to the Safety Board’s mission.
A fourth element of the international aviation program relates to Family Affairs Assistance. This program is no longer just a domestic initiative. This endeavor has been recognized around the world. The U.S. provides leadership by example for all nations to address the needs of aviation disaster victims and their families.
Now we will address each of these four elements in more detail.