National Transportation Safety Board

Information about National Transportation Safety Board

National Transportation
Safety Board
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Official seal and emblem

Official seal and emblem
Agency overview
FormedApril 1, 1967
Preceding AgencyCivil Aeronautics Board
JurisdictionFederal government of the United States
Headquarters490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, D.C.
Employees359 (2006)
Annual Budget$76.7 million USD (2006)
Agency ExecutivesMark Rosenker, Chairman
 
Robert Sumwalt, Vice Chairman
Website
www.ntsb.gov


The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent organization responsible for investigation of accidents involving aviation, highway, marine, pipelines and railroads in the United States. It is charged by the U.S. Congress to investigate every civil aviation accident in the United States, as well as significant accidents in other modes of transportation (such as the Big Bayou Canot train disaster near Mobile, Alabama). The organization is also in charge of investigating cases of hazardous waste releases that occur from modes of transportation. Mark Rosenker was appointed as Vice Chairman in 2003 and Acting Chairman in March 2005. He has held the position of the Chairman since August 2006. Robert Sumwalt is the vice chairman. The board is based in Washington, D.C.

History

It was established as an independent organization in 1967, taking over the investigative functions of the Civil Aeronautics Board, among other duties. Originally established with strong ties to the US Department of Transportation, these ties were later severed under the Independent Safety Board Act of 1975. The organization receives its authority from Chapter 11, Title 49 of the United States Code. It has investigated over 124,000 aviation incidents since its establishment.

Organization

The board has five members, one of whom is designated the chairman by the U.S. President and then approved by the U.S. Senate for a fixed 2-year term. Another member is designated as vice chairman, and becomes acting chairman when there is no formal chairman. Organization within the Board is composed of separate sub-offices for highway safety, maritime safety, aviation safety, railroad, pipeline, and hazardous material investigations, research and engineering, recommendations and communications, academy and administrative law judges. These sub-offices report to the Office of Management.

Investigations

The NTSB is normally the lead organization in the investigation of a transportation accident within its sphere. However, this power can be surrendered to other organizations if the US Attorney General declares the case to be linked to an intentional criminal act. This occurred during the investigation of the September 11th, 2001 attacks, when the US Justice Department took over the investigation.

An investigation of an incident within the United States typically starts with the creation of a "go team", composed of specialists in fields relating to the incident. This is followed by the designation of other organizations or corporations as parties to the investigation. The Board may then choose to hold public hearings on the issue. Finally, it will compose a final statement and may issue safety recommendations.

The NTSB may investigate incidents or accidents occurring outside the United States under certain circumstances. These may include: The NTSB, if asked, will also provide technical and other advice for a fee to transportation investigative boards in countries that do not have the equipment or specialized technicians available to undertake all aspects of a complex investigation.

See also

External links

April 1 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining. April 1 is most notable in the Western world for being April Fools' Day.
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United States of America

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Washington, D.C.

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Independent agencies of the United States government are those that exist outside of the departments of the executive branch. Established through separate statutes passed by the U.S.
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accident is a specific, identifiable, unexpected, unusual and unintented external event which occurs in a particular time and place, without apparent cause but with marked effect.
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Aviation refers to all activities involving the operation of heavier-than-air aircraft, machines designed for atmospheric flight. The term also describes the organizations and regulatory bodies as well as the personnel related with the operation of aircraft and the industries
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Highway is a term commonly used to designate major roads intended for travel by the public between important destinations, such as cities. The term highway can also be varied country-to-country, and can be referred to a road, freeway, superhighway,
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Ship transport is primarily used for the carriage of people and non-perishable goods, generally referred to as cargo.

Although the historic importance of sea travel has lost much importance due to the rise of commercial aviation, it is still very effective for short trips
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Pipeline transport is a transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquid and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air have also been used.
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Rail transport is the transport of passengers and goods by means of wheeled vehicles specially designed to run along railways or railroads. Rail transport is part of the logistics chain, which facilitates the international trading and economic growth in most countries.
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"E Pluribus Unum"   ("From Many, One"; Latin, traditional)
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United States Congress

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Houses Senate
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Robert C.
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aviation accident is defined in the International Civil Aviation Organisation Annex 13. The definition may be summarised as:
An occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of

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The Big Bayou Canot train disaster of September 22, 1993 is the worst train wreck in the history of the United States passenger railroad company Amtrak. In terms of fatalities and destruction, this wreck substantially exceeded the severity of the Chase, Maryland accident that
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Mobile, Alabama
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Nickname(s): Yellowhammer State, Heart of Dixie
Motto(s): Audemus jura nostra defendere

Official language(s) English
Spoken language(s) English 96.
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hazardous waste is waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment and generally exhibits one or more of these characteristics:
  • ignitable (i.e. flammable)
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U.S.
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Mode of transport (or means of transport or transport mode or transport modality or form of transport) is a general term for the different kinds of transport facilities that are often used to transport people or cargo.
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Washington, D.C.

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Nickname: DC, The District
Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All)
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1964 1965 1966 - 1967 - 1968 1969 1970

Year 1967 (MCMLXVII
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United States Department of Transportation

Seal of the Department of Trasportation
Agency overview
Formed April 1, 1967

Jurisdiction United States of America
Headquarters Washington, D.C.
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The United States Code (U.S.C.) is a compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal law of the United States.

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The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice (see ) concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government.
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September 11, 2001 attacks

The towers of the World Trade Center burn shortly after United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower on the right. To its left is the still smoking North Tower, struck earlier by American Airlines Flight 11.
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Department of Justice

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Formed June 22, 1870
July 1, 1870

Jurisdiction Federal government of the United States
Headquarters Robert F. Kennedy Building, Washington, D.C.
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Air safety is a broad term encompassing the theory, investigation and categorization of flight failures, and the prevention of such failures through appropriate regulation, as well as through education and training.
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school bus or school omnibus is a bus used to transport children and adolescents to and from school. The first school bus was horse-drawn, introduced in 1827 by George Shillibeer for a Quaker school at Abney Park in Stoke Newington, London, United Kingdom and was designed to
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The Transportation Safety Board (French: Bureau de la sécurité des transports du Canada), officially Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board(
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