Information Available Away From the Scene
There is a lot of information available to you on the NTSB
web site, including:
In addition, pertinent data and recommendation information that pre-dates
information on our website may be obtained through the Public Affairs Office
in Washington.
In aviation accidents, the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data
Recorder (FDR) - colloquially referred to as "black boxes" - are transported
to the Board's headquarters building for read out. Photo opportunities
of those recorders are sometimes arranged by the Public Affairs Office
in Washington, but any factual information relating to those recorders
usually will be released by the investigative team at the accident site.
These recorders - and the transcript of the CVR the Board ultimately
provides - should not be confused with air traffic control communications.
The NTSB is given a copy of the recorded audio communications between the
flight crew and air traffic controllers for its investigation. Once the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has provided a complete written transcript
of those communications, as determined by the Board's Investigator-in-Charge,
the NTSB will return the tape to the FAA. After the tape has been returned,
the FAA will release the audio air traffic control communications and transcript
to the public. This usually occurs weeks after the accident.
For a detailed history of flight recorders, please see the article "Aviation
Recorder Overview", [PDF] pages 31-42 NTSB
Journal of Accident Investigation, Spring 2006; Volume 2, Issue 1.
Data recorders can also be found in other modes of transportation, particularly
rail. Information from those recorders will be released through normal
NTSB procedures.
In addition, you may find the websites of the pertinent Department of
Transportation (DOT) modal agencies useful to you. Either they have information
on the site you can use, or they will direct you to information that can
be obtained from those agencies elsewhere.
For example, the FAA would be your source for aircraft service difficulty
reports and federal aviation regulations.
Note: Specific information on aircraft models or engine types
can be obtained directly from the manufacturers.
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