A collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., has brought a new focus to federal agencies charged with investigating an aviation disaster.
Jennifer Homendy's National Road Safety Board chair describes the crash investigation as an agency's “all-handed deck-on-deck event.”
Here's what you need to know about NTSB:
What does the agency do?
The NTSB is an independent federal agency responsible for investigating all civil aviation accidents in the United States, including rail disasters and major accidents involving automobiles, marine ships, pipelines and even commercial space operators. is.
“We are here to ensure that Americans don't turn the stones over in this study,” Homendy said, noting that the probe is in a very early stage. did. “We're thoroughly investigating this whole tragedy and seeing the facts.”
The agency has five board members serving a five-year term, appointed president and confirmed by the US Senate.
How does the research work?
For investigation into the crash on Wednesday, the NTSB will establish several different working groups, each of which will be responsible for investigating the various regions associated with the accident, board member Todd Inman said. Ta.
Inman said these groups include operations and would investigate flight history and crew duties. A structure that documents the remains of the aircraft and the accident site. A power plant focused on aircraft engines and engine accessories. A system that researches the electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic components of two aircraft. Air traffic control that checks flight track monitoring information, including radar and controller pilot communications. Survival factors that analyze crew and passenger injuries and crash and make rescue efforts. Helicopter group.
The survey also includes human performance groups that become part of the operation, air traffic control, and helicopter group, studying crew performance and factors such as fatigue, human error such as drugs and drugs. , training and workload, Inman said.
How long does it take to investigate?
NTSB officials did not say how long the investigation took on Thursday, but accident investigations often take a year or two to complete. Agency typically publishes preliminary reports within weeks of the accident, including a summary of information collected at the site.
What is the history of the NTSB?
The NTSB history dates back to 1926, when Congress passed a law prosecuting the US Department of Commerce in investigating aircraft accidents. It was established as an independent body within the US Department of Transport in 1967, and was separated by Congress in 1974 as an independent body completely independent of other federal agencies. Since its founding in 1967, the agency reports that it has investigated over 153,000 aviation accidents and incidents.
