ASI Accident and Incident Investigation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under 49 CFR Part 830, which party has primary responsibility for notifying the NTSB immediately after an aircraft accident?
- The FAA regional office
- The operator or pilot-in-command (Correct answer)
- The airport authority
- The aircraft manufacturer
Correct answer: The operator or pilot-in-command
49 CFR Part 830 places the immediate notification responsibility on the operator or pilot-in-command of the aircraft involved.
Question 2: What is the NTSB's definition of a 'serious injury' in the context of aviation accidents?
- Any injury requiring hospital admission
- An injury as defined in 49 CFR 830.2, including fractures, hemorrhage, nerve damage, or internal organ damage (Correct answer)
- Any injury requiring more than 48 hours of medical care
- Any injury resulting in permanent disability
Correct answer: An injury as defined in 49 CFR 830.2, including fractures, hemorrhage, nerve damage, or internal organ damage
49 CFR 830.2 provides a specific legal definition of serious injury that includes fractures (except simple ones), severe hemorrhages, nerve/muscle/tendon damage, internal organ damage, second/third degree burns, and infectious substances exposure.
Question 3: During an accident investigation, an ASI discovers a maintenance record discrepancy. What is the correct course of action?
- Correct the record immediately to prevent further confusion
- Document the discrepancy and preserve all records as evidence (Correct answer)
- Notify the aircraft owner to correct the record
- Ignore records if they are not directly related to the accident cause
Correct answer: Document the discrepancy and preserve all records as evidence
Discrepancies in maintenance records are potential evidence and must be documented and preserved without alteration pending full investigation.
Question 4: What does the term 'probable cause' mean in the context of an NTSB accident investigation report?
- A criminal finding of negligence against the pilot
- The NTSB's determination of the factor(s) that, if corrected, would most likely have prevented the accident (Correct answer)
- A preliminary finding issued within 30 days
- The FAA's official finding of regulatory violation
Correct answer: The NTSB's determination of the factor(s) that, if corrected, would most likely have prevented the accident
The NTSB uses 'probable cause' to identify the act, omission, condition, or circumstance that, if corrected, most likely would have prevented the accident — it is not a legal or criminal finding.
Question 5: An ASI is investigating a runway incursion incident at a towered airport. Which record source would BEST document ATC communications during the event?
- Airport operations log
- ASDE-X radar data only
- ATIS broadcast recordings
- ATC voice recordings and radar track data from the facility (Correct answer)
Correct answer: ATC voice recordings and radar track data from the facility
ATC voice recordings and radar track data provide the most direct evidence of communications and aircraft positions during a runway incursion event.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of the Aviation Safety Hotline (ASIAS) data in accident investigations?
- To identify pilots who should have their certificates revoked
- To correlate voluntary safety reports with accident patterns to identify systemic risks (Correct answer)
- To verify pilot training records
- To provide real-time notification of accidents to the NTSB
Correct answer: To correlate voluntary safety reports with accident patterns to identify systemic risks
ASIAS integrates multiple aviation safety databases including voluntary reports to identify systemic risks and trends, supporting proactive safety management.
Question 7: Under what circumstance may the NTSB delegate the investigation of an aircraft accident to the FAA?
- Whenever the accident involves only minor injuries
- When the NTSB determines the accident does not warrant full Board investigation, typically for less complex accidents (Correct answer)
- When the aircraft was operating under Part 91 only
- When the accident occurs outside U.S. airspace
Correct answer: When the NTSB determines the accident does not warrant full Board investigation, typically for less complex accidents
The NTSB may delegate accident investigation authority to the FAA for less complex accidents while retaining overall oversight and final report authority.
ASI Accident and Incident Investigation 2
Under 49 CFR Part 830, which party has primary responsibility for notifying the NTSB immediately after an aircraft accident?