IN FLIGHT: A Crash Investigation
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The following is an article from the July 1997 Popular Science magazine by Gary
Stoller.
These are the basic steps involved in a major airline crash investigation. Experts
at the National Transportation Safety Board lead the investigation, but they
get help from aircraft companies, engine manufacturers, airlines, labor groups,
and the Federal Aviation Administration.
When an airliner crashed, local officials automatically notify board headquarters.
An NTSB "Go-Team" leaves for the crash site within three hours. The
Go-Team includes specialists in such subjects as engine design, aircraft structures,
maintenance, air traffic control, weather, survival factors, human performance,
and witness interviews.
After a briefing from police and other officials on the scene, the Go-Team begins
recovering and inspecting debris, sometimes with help from the Navy and Coast
Guard. They look for the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. Other
team members gather air traffic control tapes, weather reports, and pilots'
and maintenance records.
Airplane parts may be taken to a hangar for further inspection, and sometimes
for reassembly. If the debris has holes, for example, investigators can study
them to determine whether the damage was caused from the inside or outside of
the airplane. If an explosive device is suspected, the parts may be examined
with a vapor sniffer.
Some parts may be sent to the NTSB lab in Washington for further analysis. Flight
data recorders and cockpit voice recorders are also analyzed in the lab. Other
parts may be sent out for special testing. For example, a suspect part may be
dispatched to the FBI to be tested for explosives, or an engine may be returned
to its manufacturer for study.
The NTSB prepares reports of its findings, and holds a public hearing to solicit
testimony from the airline, pilots' union, aircraft manufacturer, and other
interested parties. After a technical review, the agency approves a final report
on the investigation. THE NTSB may then (or at any time during its investigation)
issue safety recommendations.