Public Briefing on NTSB Process

We like data and science, and actual information. One of our favourite shows is a Canadian one, Mayday. You can read about the history of the show on Wiki. You can watch them on YouTube.

For this reason, I watched the Public Briefing on NTSB Process 📹   regarding the air incident Wed., Jan. 29, 2025. Joe was out shopping, and I taped it, knowing he'd want to see it. His back is easing up, thankfully. No more loading the dishwasher for him! 😏

As many of you heard, a helicopter and jet plane collided in the US. While some, i.e. the US president, jumped to conclusions, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) held this impressive conference. They are absolutely professional, methodical, and follow strict protocols. This is comforting, since my family are frequent fliers. Once a situation occurs, the NTSB will investigate and this means the industry has to follow up with change. 

Jennifer Homendy, NTSB Chair, explained: 

• Charged with investigating civil aviation, and significant events.
• We're going to conduct a thorough investigation of this entire tragedy based on nothing but the facts.
• 50 people are working on scene, and many back in the nearby labs.
• Reagan airport has 390 flights a day, 100 helicopters a day, from the base.

flight tracked

Lead: Brice Banning, senior investigator, serving as Investigator In Charge. 

Todd Inman did the brief:

Investigative Process

The government was briefed: P and VP, House & Senate; acting admin FAA Chris Rocheleau, Hegseth. 

They study the Human/Machine/Environment through the department divisions. These are their tasks, and procedures:

• Understand what and why happened, and recommend changes to prevent it in the future.
• Preliminary report in 30 days, final after all fact-finding and investigation. 
• Parties that have standing: PSA Airlines; GE Aerospace; Sikorsky; Federal Aviation Authority; Union Reps: pilots, flight attendants, controllers; Transportation Safety Board of Canada (under Annex 13); Bombardier. 
• Only NTSB that will provide and share this information. 
• The fatalities list will be released by DC Medical Examiner's Office.

Groups coordinated by NTSB during this investigation:

• Operations, history of accident flight, crew duties
• Structures: documenting wreckage and scene, impact angles
• Power Plants: engines and accessories
• Systems: component, hydraulic, electrical, pneumatic
• Air Traffic Control: review of systems, flight track info: radar, controller/pilot communications
• Impacted groups: rescue efforts, EMS, firefighters, 
• Helicopter group
• Human Performance Group: part of operations, fatigue, work environment.

The Government in the last 11 days has:

➡️ January 20: FAA director fired ➡️ January 21: Air Traffic Controller hiring frozen ➡️ January 22: Aviation Safety Advisory Committee disbanded ➡️ January 28: Buyout/retirement demand sent to existing employees ➡️ January 29: First American mid-air collision in 16 years

"The new president fired 400 FAA senior officials, the TSA head, and 3,000 air traffic controllers just 8 days ago. Policy choices have consequences."

The website has been taken down! 

This is what I learned yesterday.