It has been predicted that airline accident rates will grow in a corresponding ratio to the increasing number of airline passengers.
The NTSB, which operates independently of other government agencies, is primarily responsible for investigating aviation accidents and issuing safety recommendations based on its findings. While the NTSB has no direct regulatory or enforcement power with regard to aviation law, it does have significant power of influence on those who can effect change. In fact, approximately 80 percent of all NTSB safety recommendations are adopted by the FAA or other regulatory agencies.
Aviation law is becoming increasingly important, as the number of passengers and airplane flights grows larger. Human mistakes and mechanical difficulties are two of the most common causes of aviation accidents. Our expert aviation accident attorneys can help families and victims of aircraft accidents and help eliminate preventable disasters from occurring in the future.
The National Transportation Safety Board, an independent Federal agency, was established in 1967 to investigate all civil aviation accidents as well as any major accidents that occur as a result of other modes of transportation. The ultimate goal of each investigation is to determine the probable cause of the accident, so that the agency can issue safety recommendations to prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future.
Over the past three decades, the NTSB has investigated more than 124,000 aviation accidents and experienced great success in improving transportation safety – more than 80 percent of all its recommendations are adopted by the appropriate agency. From beginning to end, each investigation takes approximately 12 to 18 months and culminates in an NTSB accident report.
Congress has charged the NTSB with the following responsibilities:
The majority of all NTSB investigations involve aviation accidents. The agency investigates approximately 2,000 aviation accidents annually, ranging from those involving small private aircraft to commercial airliners, jumbo jets, and even space shuttles or other spacecraft.
NTSB investigators - on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – travel throughout the world to investigate serious transportation accidents and make safety recommendations based on factual evidence. The findings of all civil aviation and other major accidents are published in NTSB accident reports, which can be obtained through the agency website or the National Technical Information Service.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an aviation accident, it is important to know your legal rights. You have the right to truthful information regarding the accident. You may also have the right to seek compensation and financial assistance in light of your serious losses. Please contact us today for a consultation with an experienced aviation attorney.