FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 21, 2008 SB-08-48

NTSB ACTING CHAIRMAN CITES THREE SAFETY AREAS TO REDUCE ACCIDENTS IN BUSINESS AVIATION

Washington, DC - National Transportation Safety Board Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said today that improving runway safety, crew resource management, and addressing human fatigue will enhance safety in business aviation.

In an address to the 2008 Bombardier Safety Standdown in Kansas City, Missouri, Rosenker cited the NTSB's review of accident trends and the potential for human error in emphasizing the importance of these safety areas.

Rosenker outlined the following areas as "critical" to reducing aviation accidents and saving lives:

• Improving Runway Safety by requiring landing distance assessment with an adequate safety margin for every landing, and to give immediate warnings of probable collisions/incursions directly to flight crews in the cockpit.
• Improving Crew Resource Management by requiring on-demand air taxi flight crews to receive crew resource management training.
• Reducing Accidents Caused by Human Fatigue by setting work hour limits for flight crews, aviation mechanics and air traffic controllers based on fatigue research, circadian rhythms, and sleep and rest requirements.  While advocating the adoption of measures designed to address these issues, Rosenker also indicated that regulation is not the only way to improve safety.  "I believe that voluntary action by industry, in partnership with the government, is one of the most effective ways to decrease accidents," said Rosenker.

Each of the safety areas Rosenker cited are on the NTSB's Most Wanted List of Safety Improvements, which is available on the Board's website at http://www.ntsb.gov/Recs/mostwanted/index.htm.

The complete text of the speech is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/speeches/rosenker/mvr081021.html

NTSB Media Contact: Peter Knudson
(202) 314-6100
peter.knudson@ntsb.gov

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