Integrity
Transparency
Independence
Excellence
NTSB Website: www.ntsb.gov
TDA Division: www.ntsb.gov/tda
Email: [email protected]
Information for
survivors,
families & friends
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD
TRANSPORTATION DISASTER ASSISTANCE DIVISION
Short-term Counseling & Referrals
Short-term professional mental health support is available
to survivors, family members, and friends in their local
area free of charge through our partners, the American Red
Cross. When requested or deemed appropriate, Red Cross
can provide referrals for longer-term mental health services
or support groups. Please contact the TDA Division for
additional information.
Victim Identication Process
Victim recovery, identication, determination of cause
and manner of death, and death certication are the
responsibility of the medical examiner or coroner in the
jurisdiction where the death occurred. Contact
information for the medical examiner or coroner is available
by contacting the TDA Division.
Personal Effects
The NTSB may take custody of personal effects like
personal electronic devices or other items relevant to the
investigation. Depending on condition, these items may
be returned to the owner or a designated family member
following the conclusion of the investigation. Personal
effects not retained by the NTSB may be collected by the
medical examiner or coroner, law enforcement, or another
agency or organization involved in the response.
The TDA Division can assist with inquiries about personal
effects retained by the NTSB or provide contact information
for other agencies or organizations that may have custody of
personal effects
Accident Wreckage
The NTSB has the authority to retain control of and manage
access to the wreckage involved in the accident during the
investigation. Inquiries regarding status of the wreckage
under NTSB control may be directed to the TDA Division.
Additional Information
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NTSB
ACCIDENT
INVESTIGATIONS
490 L’Enfant Plaza East, SW
Washington, DC 20594
Ofce: (800)683-9369
Local: (202)314-6185
Fax: (202)459-9402
Transportation
Disaster
Assistance
(TDA)Division
NTSB/SPC-SRC40-18/04
On-scene
Data
Collection
Preliminary
Report
Release
Post-scene
Data
Collection
Report
Development
Analysis
of Factual
Information
Docket
Release
Final Report
or Brief
Release
What is the NTSB?
TheNationalTransportationSafetyBoard(NTSB)isan
independentfederalagencyresponsibleforinvestigating
anddeterminingtheprobablecauseofeverycivilaviation
accidentintheUnitedStatesalongwithsignicantaccidents
in other modes of transportation—railroad, highway,
marine,andpipeline.Fromthesesafetyinvestigations,
theNTSBworkstodevelopsafetyimprovementsaimedat
preventingsimilaraccidentsfromreoccurring.TheNTSBis
headquarteredinWashington,DC,withregionalofcesand
investigatorslocatedacrosstheUnitedStates.TheNTSB
isnotpartoftheDepartmentofTransportationorafliated
with any other federal agency. While local, state, and federal
agenciesmaysupportaninvestigation,theNTSBisthe
lead federal agency responsible for conducting the safety
investigation.TheNTSBhasnoregulatoryorenforcement
authorityanddoesnotinvestigatecriminalactivity.
Who is an IIC?
AssignedbyoneoftheNTSB’sinvestigativeofces,the
Investigator-In-Charge(IIC)isresponsibleforleading
thesafetyinvestigationandmanagesallaspectsofthe
investigativeprocessthroughtoitsconclusion.Depending
on the circumstances of the accident, the IIC along with other
NTSBinvestigatorsmaytraveltotheaccidentsitetocollect
information.
What is the TDA Division?
At the request of the IIC, NTSB Transportation Disaster
Assistance(TDA)DivisionSpecialistsserveastheprimary
pointofcontactforsurvivors,familymembers,andfriends
toprovideinformationandaddressquestionsregarding
theNTSBinvestigativeprocess.Theyprovidenotication
wheninvestigativereportsandotherproductsarepublicly
released.TDADivisionSpecialistsalsocoordinateaccess
tofamilyassistanceresourcesthatmaybeavailablefrom
governmentagenciesandnon-governmentalorganizations.
Overview
NTSB accident investigations often require 12 to 24 months
to complete. This is due to the complexity of the factual
information that must be collected and the importance
of conducting a comprehensive analysis to determine its
relevance to the cause of the accident.
During the investigation, the following reports are published on
the NTSB website:
• The Preliminary Report provides a synopsis of factual
information collected during the on-scene phase of the
investigation. This report is typically available within a few
weeks after the accident.
• The Accident Docket includes relevant information
collected during the investigation and considered in the
development of reports or briefs and determination of the
probable cause. Examples of docket items may include
accident photographs, maintenance records, and witness
statements. The docket is released publicly when most
of the relevant factual information is collected for the
investigation or at its conclusion.
• The Final Report provides a summary of relevant factual
information, analysis, ndings, probable cause, and
safety recommendations issued or reiterated as a result
of the investigation; or an Accident Brief that consists
of a short accident narrative, probable cause, and safety
recommendations. Briefs are normally limited to factual
information but may contain analysis.
The report or brief replaces the preliminary report and is
typically available 12 to 24 months following the accident.
The NTSB may issue Safety Recommendations at any time
during the investigation to address a particular issue and
specify how to correct the situation. Recommendations are
issued to relevant stakeholders best able to address the issue.
The NTSB will work with relevant stakeholders to identify
safety issues that can be promptly corrected through
suggested solutions. These solutions can be implemented
without having to issue formal safety recommendations.
The NTSB may also issue Safety Alerts designed to enhance
the understanding of safety issues and offer suggested
actions to mitigate them.
Party System
The NTSB has the authority to designate organizations,
corporations, or agencies as parties to the investigation.
Only representatives who can provide technical or
specialized expertise are permitted to serve as party
members and report directly to the NTSB.
Parties are permitted to assist the NTSB with the collection
of factual information but cannot participate in its analysis.
The NTSB is solely responsible for analyzing factual
information to determine its relevance to the probable cause
of the accident.
Staying Informed
Survivors, families, and friends can contact the TDA Division
directly regarding an NTSB investigation and to learn more
about available resources. TDA Specialists work closely with
the IIC to address questions regarding an investigation.
Survivors, families, and friends are encouraged to use
the NTSB website to access additional information about
material provided in this brochure.
Contact Us
The TDA Division can be contacted by calling
(800) 683-9369 or (202) 314-6185,
or by email at [email protected]
NTSB website: www.ntsb.gov
TDA Division: www.ntsb.gov/tda
NTSB Accident Investigations
Accident
Investigation
Process
