Reports, studies, and retrospective reviews

49 U.S.C. § 1116

• Title: 49 — Transportation
• Chapter: SUBCHAPTER II—ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE

Text

(a) Periodic Reports.—The National Transportation Safety Board shall report periodically to Congress, departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States Government and State and local governmental authorities concerned with transportation safety, and other interested persons. The report shall—
(1) advocate meaningful responses to reduce the likelihood of transportation accidents similar to those investigated by the Board; and
(2) propose corrective action to make the transportation of individuals as safe and free from risk of injury as possible, including action to minimize personal injuries that occur in transportation accidents.
(b) Studies, Investigations, and Other Reports.—The Board also shall—
(1) carry out special studies and investigations about transportation safety, including avoiding personal injury;
(2) examine techniques and methods of accident investigation and periodically publish recommended procedures for accident investigations;
(3) prescribe requirements for persons reporting accidents and aviation incidents that—
(A) may be investigated by the Board under this chapter; or
(B) involve public aircraft (except aircraft of the armed forces and the intelligence agencies);
(4) evaluate, examine the effectiveness of, and publish the findings of the Board about the transportation safety consciousness of other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government and their effectiveness in preventing accidents; and
(5) evaluate the adequacy of safeguards and procedures for the transportation of hazardous material and the performance of other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government responsible for the safe transportation of that material.
(c) Annual Report.—The National Transportation Safety Board shall submit a report to Congress on July 1 of each year. The report shall include—
(1) a statistical and analytical summary of the transportation accident investigations conducted and reviewed by the Board during the prior calendar year;
(2) a survey and summary of the recommendations made by the Board to reduce the likelihood of recurrence of those accidents together with the observed response to each recommendation;
(3) a list of each recommendation made by the Board to the Secretary of Transportation or the Commandant of the Coast Guard that was closed in an unacceptable status in the preceding 12 months, including—
(A) any explanation the Board received from the Secretary or Commandant; and
(B) any explanation from the Board as to why the recommendation was closed in an unacceptable status, including a discussion of why alternate means, if any, taken by the Secretary or Commandant to address the Board's recommendation were inadequate;
(4) a detailed appraisal of the accident investigation and accident prevention activities of other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States Government and State and local governmental authorities having responsibility for those activities under a law of the United States or a State;
(5) a description of the activities and operations of the National Transportation Safety Board Training Center during the prior calendar year;
(6) a list of accidents, during the prior calendar year, that the Board was required to investigate under section 1131 but did not investigate and an explanation of why they were not investigated; and
(7) a list of ongoing investigations that have exceeded the expected time allotted for completion by Board order and an explanation for the additional time required to complete each such investigation.
(d) Retrospective Reviews.—
(1) In general.—Subject to paragraph (2), not later than June 1, 2019, and at least every 5 years thereafter, the Chairman shall complete a retrospective review of recommendations issued by the Board that are classified as open by the Board.
(2) Contents.—A review under paragraph (1) shall include—
(A) a determination of whether the recommendation should be updated, closed, or reissued in light of—
(i) changed circumstances;
(ii) more recently issued recommendations;
(iii) the availability of new technologies; or
(iv) new information making the recommendation ineffective or insufficient for achieving its objective; and
(B) a justification for each determination under subparagraph (A).
(3) Report.—Not later than 180 days after the date a review under paragraph (1) is complete, the Chairman shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that includes—
(A) the findings of the review under paragraph (1);
(B) each determination under paragraph (2)(A) and justification under paragraph (2)(B); and
(C) if applicable, a schedule for updating, closing, or reissuing a recommendation.

History

(Pub. L. 103–272, §1(d), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 751; Pub. L. 115–254, div. C, §§1107(a), 1111(a), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3432, 3436; Pub. L. 118–63, title XII, §1209, May 16, 2024, 138 Stat. 1425.)

Editorial Notes

In subsection (a)(1), the word "recommending" is omitted as being included in "advocate" in 49 App.:1903(a)(3). The word "recurrence" is omitted as surplus. The text of 49 App.:1441(a)(3) and (5) (related to reducing accidents) is omitted as superseded by 49 App.:1903(a)(3).
In subsection (b)(1), the words "carry out" are substituted for "initiate and conduct" in 49 App.:1903(a)(4) for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code. The text of 49 App.:1441(a)(5) (related to studies) is omitted as superseded by 49 App.:1903(a)(4).
In subsection (b)(2), the word "examine" is substituted for "assess and reassess" for clarity. The words "prepare and" are omitted as surplus.
In subsection (b)(3), the words "by regulation" are omitted as unnecessary because of section 1113(f) of the revised title.
In subsection (b)(4), the word "effectiveness" is substituted for "efficacy" for clarity.

Editorial Notes

Amendments
2024—Subsec. (c)(3) to (7). Pub. L. 118–63 added par. (3) and redesignated former pars. (3) to (6) as (4) to (7), respectively.
2018—Pub. L. 115–254, §1111(a)(1), substituted ", studies, and retrospective reviews" for "and studies" in section catchline.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–254, §1107(a), added subsec. (c).
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 115–254, §1111(a)(2), added subsec. (d).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Savings Clause
Pub. L. 115–254, div. C, §1111(c), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3436, provided that: "Nothing in this section [amending this section] or the amendments made by this section may be construed to limit or otherwise affect the authority of the [National Transportation Safety] Board to update, close, or reissue a recommendation."