ASI Accident and Incident Investigation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which NTSB regulation requires operators to preserve aircraft wreckage, cargo, and records after an accident?
- 49 CFR 830.10 (Correct answer)
- 14 CFR 91.207
- 49 CFR 830.5
- 14 CFR 13.20
Correct answer: 49 CFR 830.10
49 CFR 830.10 prohibits disturbing or moving wreckage, mail, cargo, or records after an accident except to remove persons injured or trapped, protect the wreckage from fire, or protect the public from injury.
Question 2: A Flight Data Recorder (FDR) is recovered from an accident site. Who has primary authority over its readout and analysis?
- The aircraft manufacturer
- The FAA Flight Standards District Office
- The NTSB (Correct answer)
- The airline's safety department
Correct answer: The NTSB
The NTSB has primary authority over FDR readout and analysis as part of its accident investigation mandate under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 11.
Question 3: What is a 'go-team' in the context of NTSB accident investigations?
- FAA inspectors dispatched to secure the accident scene
- A rapid-response NTSB team deployed to major accident sites within hours (Correct answer)
- Airport emergency response personnel
- Airline safety representatives authorized to investigate on behalf of the NTSB
Correct answer: A rapid-response NTSB team deployed to major accident sites within hours
The NTSB Go-Team is a rapid-deployment team of investigators and specialists that deploys to the scene of major accidents, typically within hours of notification.
Question 4: In a fatal Part 121 accident investigation, the ASI is asked to assist the NTSB. In this role, the ASI functions as:
- Lead investigator with full authority over all evidence
- A party to the investigation under NTSB direction, not an independent FAA investigator (Correct answer)
- An independent FAA investigator parallel to the NTSB
- An observer only with no investigative authority
Correct answer: A party to the investigation under NTSB direction, not an independent FAA investigator
When the NTSB leads an investigation, the FAA participates as a designated party and must coordinate all investigative activities through the NTSB IIC (Investigator-in-Charge).
Question 5: Which tool does the FAA use to track safety trends identified from accident and incident investigations?
- ASAP (Aviation Safety Action Program)
- CAST (Commercial Aviation Safety Team) data analysis
- ATOS (Air Transportation Oversight System)
- SPAS (Safety Performance Analysis System) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: SPAS (Safety Performance Analysis System)
SPAS aggregates safety data from multiple sources including accident/incident investigations to identify trends and target FAA safety oversight resources.
Question 6: An aircraft sustains substantial damage during a ground collision with a ground vehicle. Under 49 CFR 830, this event is classified as:
- An incident only, since no flight was involved
- An accident if any person aboard suffered injury
- An accident, since substantial damage occurred during aircraft operation (Correct answer)
- A ground occurrence requiring only local reporting
Correct answer: An accident, since substantial damage occurred during aircraft operation
Under 49 CFR 830.2, an aircraft accident includes events involving an aircraft in operation that result in death, serious injury, or substantial damage — ground collisions during operation qualify.
Question 7: What is the significance of a 'factual report' in an NTSB investigation, as distinguished from the final accident report?
- The factual report assigns probable cause; the final report only summarizes findings
- The factual report presents objective findings without conclusions; the final report includes probable cause determination (Correct answer)
- The factual report is issued by the FAA; the final report is issued by the NTSB
- The factual report is released to the media; the final report is confidential
Correct answer: The factual report presents objective findings without conclusions; the final report includes probable cause determination
NTSB factual reports document objective findings from the investigation (autopsy results, wreckage documentation, weather data) without drawing conclusions, which are reserved for the final report with probable cause.
ASI Accident and Incident Investigation 3
Which NTSB regulation requires operators to preserve aircraft wreckage, cargo, and records after an accident?