Mission
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The NTSB Training Center is the training facility for the National Transportation Safety Board, an independent federal agency that investigates all civil aviation accidents in the United States and selected accidents in other modes of transportation.
The Training Center provides training for NTSB investigators and others from the transportation community to improve their practice of accident investigation techniques. The curriculum promotes independent, objective, and technically advanced accident investigations that will enhance the safety of all modes of transportation.
The Mission of the NTSB Training Center is to promote safe transport by:
- Ensuring and improving the quality of accident investigation through critical thought, instruction, and research;
- Communicating lessons learned, fostering the exchange of new ideas and new experience, and advocating operational excellence;
- Providing a modern platform for accident reconstruction and evaluation; and
- Utilizing its high-quality training resources to facilitate family assistance and first responder programs, sister agency instruction, and other compatible federal activity.
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Location
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Located on the Virginia campus of The George Washington University in Ashburn, the Training Center is ten miles from Washington Dulles Airport and 30 miles from Washington, D.C. Driving directions, maps, and a link to the virtual tour of our facility are available on the Campus page. |
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Courses
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The Training Center offers a variety of courses ranging in length from one day to two weeks, with wide applicability outside of the field of transportation accident investigation, such as Cognitive
Interviewing for Accident Investigators, Investigating
Human Fatigue Factors and the Photodocumentation
Series.
Most courses offered at the Training Center are open to those outside the Safety Board. In fact, the majority of those attending Training Center courses are from transportation and emergency response communities outside the NTSB.
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![Training Center Course in progress.](graphics/About_Courses_sm.jpg) |
Click this link to access the complete list of NTSB Courses. |
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Who May Attend
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The Training Center does not enroll participants, as would a traditional academic institution. Since courses have differing admissions criteria, prospective participants are admitted on a course-by-course basis.
While forums and symposia are open to the public, certain courses are limited to those who may be directly involved in an NTSB accident investigation or are members of the emergency response community. See the Who May Attend section included in each course description for further details.
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Practical Training
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Recognizing the importance of using the training material in the real world environment, Training Center courses emphasis examples, demonstrations and, when appropriate, hands-on training. Participants leave the course with useful information and skills that can be applied immediately. |
![Practical training at the NTSB - Students looking at airplane wreckage.](graphics/About_Training_sm.jpg) |
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Instructors
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The majority of the courses taught at the Training Center are developed and delivered by NTSB staff. Nearly 25 NTSB investigators and staff provided instruction during the Training Center’s first year. Outside instructors are used to supplement NTSB expertise in order to ensure the most comprehensive presentations.
The Training Center has identified outside subject matter experts to instruct on special topics including experts from the Global Maritime and Transportation School, various universities and other identified experts in relevant fields of study. |
![An instructor leading a typical class at the NTSB Training Center](graphics/About_Instructors_sm.jpg) |
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Accreditation |
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded to every participant who successfully completes a designated course. The number of CEUs awarded is indicated in each course description. More details about CEUs and transcripts are available in the Information for
Participants section.
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Partnerships and Alliances |
In its effort to meet the training needs of those in other areas of the government and the transportation and emergency response communities, the Training Center has formed relationships with federal agencies and private organizations. The following is a partial list of the organizations participating in partnerships and alliances with the NTSB Training Center:
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![Partnerships and alliances - Photo of a meeting between the NTSB and other federal agencies](graphics/About_Partners_sm.jpg) |
- Airports Council International of North America (ACI-NA)
- Air Transport Association (ATA)
- Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP)
- Aviation Safety Alliance (ASA)
- Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Global Maritime and Transportation School (GMATS)
- National Association of State Boating Laws Administrators (NASBLA)
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- New York City, Office of Emergency Management (NYC OEM)
- Transportation Safety Institute (TSI)
- Regional Airline Association (RAA)
- Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
We will continue to develop mutually beneficial relationships, enhancing the level of understanding and cooperation within and between organizations and the NTSB.
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Investigations |
The Training Center facility also houses the Board’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Office for aviation accident investigation. In May 2004, the complete wreckage of a Cessna 208 was brought to the lab, enabling NTSB investigators to thoroughly examine and document the aircraft components within the Training Center’s secure facilities. This is a departure from years past when the Board has had to rely on its parties or others for such space. The football field-sized laboratory serves not just as an instructional venue, but also as a resource for active investigations.
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Research |
The Accident Investigation Research Program, which was launched in 2004, will produce applied research to respond to issues identified during accident investigations. Recent projects include:
- Evaluation of train dynamics simulation software
- Impact characteristics of aircraft composite structures
- Influence of tire fiction and tire stiffness on highway vehicle simulations
- Influence of uncertainties and incomplete data on vehicle simulations
This research will enhance the Board’s capabilities to perform accident investigations, to help posture the Board for effective promotion of safety recommendations, and to make the Board knowledgeable of the evolving trends in transportation system designs and operational strategies in areas critical to safety. Top of Page |
Journal of Accident Investigation |
The Journal of Accident Investigation, a publication to promote transportation safety through science, is published by the National Transportation Safety Board and is affiliated with the NTSB Training Center.
The Journal is an interdisciplinary publication that provides for the public exchange of ideas and information developed through NTSB's accident investigations in all modes of transportation. It contains published research and technical articles on accident investigations that may be of interest to professionals in safety, accident investigation, engineering and the behavioral sciences.
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![Generic cover of the NTSB's Journal of Accident Investigation](graphics/About_Journal2_sm.jpg) |
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Brief History |
The NTSB Training Center was established to improve the training and skills of its own employees, and make its safety expertise more widely available to the diverse transportation community. In 2000, the NTSB selected The George Washington University as the Training Center’s home. In 2001, the NTSB and the university signed a 20-year lease. The new training facility opened in August 2003 in Ashburn, Virginia.
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