NTSB question

How does the NTSB go about researching GA accidents? Specifically,
how do they decide *when* they're going to do the investigation, and
when (or if) they are going to release information?

Our friend Blaine Andersen was killed in a crash near Grinnell, IA
last winter. See the preliminary report he

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...08X00158&key=1

Strangely, all these months later, it's still just the "preliminary"
report. This, while many accidents and incidents that have happened
since then have been given "factual" and "probable cause" reports.

Anyone understand the timing of this stuff? Anyone got experience
inside the NTSB? Blaine's family and friends are understandably
getting frustrated with the glacial pace of this investigation,
especially when compared to other more recent accidents that have been
laid to rest.

Thanks,
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
How does the NTSB go about researching GA accidents? Specifically,
how do they decide *when* they're going to do the investigation, and
when (or if) they are going to release information?

Our friend Blaine Andersen was killed in a crash near Grinnell, IA
last winter. See the preliminary report he

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...08X00158&key=1

Strangely, all these months later, it's still just the "preliminary"
report. This, while many accidents and incidents that have happened
since then have been given "factual" and "probable cause" reports.

Anyone understand the timing of this stuff? Anyone got experience
inside the NTSB? Blaine's family and friends are understandably
getting frustrated with the glacial pace of this investigation,
especially when compared to other more recent accidents that have been
laid to rest.

Don't know.

If it were me, I'd call the Des Moines FSDO
and ask the Investigator-In-Charge, Mitchell
F. Gallo, those questions. Maybe you could
get a contact in the NTSB to talk to.

Sorry for your loss.

Jay Honeck wrote:
How does the NTSB go about researching GA accidents? Specifically,
how do they decide *when* they're going to do the investigation, and
when (or if) they are going to release information?

Our friend Blaine Andersen was killed in a crash near Grinnell, IA
last winter. See the preliminary report he

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...08X00158&key=1

Strangely, all these months later, it's still just the "preliminary"
report. This, while many accidents and incidents that have happened
since then have been given "factual" and "probable cause" reports.

Anyone understand the timing of this stuff? Anyone got experience
inside the NTSB? Blaine's family and friends are understandably
getting frustrated with the glacial pace of this investigation,
especially when compared to other more recent accidents that have been
laid to rest.

Thanks,

Over the years I've come to the completely unscientific conclusion they seem
to prioritize based on whether or not they are going to get any info out of
the investigation that will effect the greatest number of people.

As an example if there is a 172 that seems to have had a structural failure
in flight it will take priority over a one off experimental that did the
same thing.

I'd call the FSDO for the area and if you don't like or can't get an answer
from them I'd call the NTSB.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...

Anyone understand the timing of this stuff? Anyone got experience
inside the NTSB? Blaine's family and friends are understandably
getting frustrated with the glacial pace of this investigation,
especially when compared to other more recent accidents that have been
laid to rest.

Being a government entity, I'd imagine that there's quite a bit of
behind-the-scenes stuff at play here. Manpower, internal and external
politics, civilian pressures (i.e. families, friends), and media are but a
few factors. Just think of all those wrecks they found while searching for
Fossett to get an idea of how some accidents are treated differently than
others.

Marco

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...
How does the NTSB go about researching GA accidents? Specifically,
how do they decide *when* they're going to do the investigation, and
when (or if) they are going to release information?

Our friend Blaine Andersen was killed in a crash near Grinnell, IA
last winter. See the preliminary report he

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...08X00158&key=1

Strangely, all these months later, it's still just the "preliminary"
report. This, while many accidents and incidents that have happened
since then have been given "factual" and "probable cause" reports.

Anyone understand the timing of this stuff? Anyone got experience
inside the NTSB? Blaine's family and friends are understandably
getting frustrated with the glacial pace of this investigation,
especially when compared to other more recent accidents that have been
laid to rest.

Of course, a fatal accident is going to get priority over a fender-bender.

It's also going to be MUCH MORE thorough. Major components are going to be
subject to forensic testing, records are going to be very closely
scrutinized. Quite likely depositions are going to be taken rather than just
witness statements. The accident scene will be highly scrutinized.

The document you read on the NTSB site will be a composite of perhaps a
couple/several thousand pages of investigative notes, from several
investigators.

NOTE: It ain't like on TV where they're done in 45 minutes with 15 minutes
worth of commercials.

"Marco Leon" wrote in message
news
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...

Anyone understand the timing of this stuff? Anyone got experience
inside the NTSB? Blaine's family and friends are understandably
getting frustrated with the glacial pace of this investigation,
especially when compared to other more recent accidents that have been
laid to rest.

Being a government entity, I'd imagine that there's quite a bit of
behind-the-scenes stuff at play here. Manpower, internal and external
politics, civilian pressures (i.e. families, friends), and media are but a
few factors. Just think of all those wrecks they found while searching for
Fossett to get an idea of how some accidents are treated differently than
others.


The 9/11 "truthers" are telling us we're not done yet, six years on.

"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...
How does the NTSB go about researching GA accidents? Specifically,
how do they decide *when* they're going to do the investigation, and
when (or if) they are going to release information?

Our friend Blaine Andersen was killed in a crash near Grinnell, IA
last winter. See the preliminary report he

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...08X00158&key=1

Strangely, all these months later, it's still just the "preliminary"
report. This, while many accidents and incidents that have happened
since then have been given "factual" and "probable cause" reports.

Anyone understand the timing of this stuff? Anyone got experience
inside the NTSB? Blaine's family and friends are understandably
getting frustrated with the glacial pace of this investigation,
especially when compared to other more recent accidents that have been
laid to rest.

Of course, a fatal accident is going to get priority over a fender-bender.

It's also going to be MUCH MORE thorough. Major components are going to be
subject to forensic testing, records are going to be very closely
scrutinized. Quite likely depositions are going to be taken rather than
just witness statements. The accident scene will be highly scrutinized.

The document you read on the NTSB site will be a composite of perhaps a
couple/several thousand pages of investigative notes, from several
investigators.

NOTE: It ain't like on TV where they're done in 45 minutes with 15 minutes
worth of commercials.

This is a true statement in the world of certified aircraft, but crashes of
experimentals do not typically benefit from in-depth investigations.

KB

Jay Honeck wrote:
How does the NTSB go about researching GA accidents? Specifically,
how do they decide *when* they're going to do the investigation, and
when (or if) they are going to release information?

Our friend Blaine Andersen was killed in a crash near Grinnell, IA
last winter. See the preliminary report he

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...08X00158&key=1

Strangely, all these months later, it's still just the "preliminary"
report. This, while many accidents and incidents that have happened
since then have been given "factual" and "probable cause" reports.

Anyone understand the timing of this stuff? Anyone got experience
inside the NTSB? Blaine's family and friends are understandably
getting frustrated with the glacial pace of this investigation,
especially when compared to other more recent accidents that have been
laid to rest.

Hi Jay -- last October 18th (2006), my airplane was totaled in an
emergency landing in the desert due to a complete engine failure (oil
cooler split on start-up, engine seized about 6 minutes into the
flight). We thankfully walked away with minor cuts/bruises, thanks in
large part to some luck in that we got far enough to be away from
houses/buildings and were over the desert when it quit (although the
desert is NOT as flat as it looks from 50 feet up!), and that I was with
my CFIG who made a great landing on some rough desert floor and kept
"flying" till the gear snapped off and it abruptly went down on its
chin. Our biggest scars are internal, but we are flying again, having
learned a lot from the experience.

It was obvious that the oil cooler split at one of the bottom fins, but
the NTSB removed the cooler and the thermo-coupler for further testing.
As of a few days ago, there still has been no final report issued, and
we too are awaiting that for various reasons. I've been told it usually
takes around 10 months, give or take, for a final report to be issued,
and that obviously, accidents involving fatalities take priority.

As for the comparison with other more recent accidents that have been
laid to rest, the investigation and results of those other accidents may
simply be more black-and-white and therefore easier/faster to resolve
and close.

I'm about to call the NTSB and ask if/when we can expect a final report.
I'll let you know if I find out anything that may be helpful.

"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
. ..

"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...

Of course, a fatal accident is going to get priority over a
fender-bender.

It's also going to be MUCH MORE thorough. Major components are going to
be subject to forensic testing, records are going to be very closely
scrutinized. Quite likely depositions are going to be taken rather than
just witness statements. The accident scene will be highly scrutinized.

The document you read on the NTSB site will be a composite of perhaps a
couple/several thousand pages of investigative notes, from several
investigators.

NOTE: It ain't like on TV where they're done in 45 minutes with 15
minutes worth of commercials.

This is a true statement in the world of certified aircraft, but crashes
of experimentals do not typically benefit from in-depth investigations.


Fatal accidents do. Maybe not as much as certified, since much of the
forensics is left out, but note how many fatal accidents involving certified
aircraft took well over a year to a year and a half to reach a final
conclusion. This one that Jay mentioned has been going on seven months IIRC.

IIUC, the NTSB won't even come out for a non-injury accident involving a
home-built, and won't do much more than a cursory investigation for a HB
accident with minor injuries.

Two things the NTSB will look at are pilot error and mechanical failure. In
a HB, they don't really look at the mechanicals, but they will look at the
pilots actions. Is this not true?

"Shirl" wrote in message
...
Jay Honeck wrote:
How does the NTSB go about researching GA accidents? Specifically,
how do they decide *when* they're going to do the investigation, and
when (or if) they are going to release information?

Our friend Blaine Andersen was killed in a crash near Grinnell, IA
last winter. See the preliminary report he

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...08X00158&key=1

Strangely, all these months later, it's still just the "preliminary"
report. This, while many accidents and incidents that have happened
since then have been given "factual" and "probable cause" reports.

Anyone understand the timing of this stuff? Anyone got experience
inside the NTSB? Blaine's family and friends are understandably
getting frustrated with the glacial pace of this investigation,
especially when compared to other more recent accidents that have been
laid to rest.

Hi Jay -- last October 18th (2006), my airplane was totaled in an
emergency landing in the desert due to a complete engine failure (oil
cooler split on start-up, engine seized about 6 minutes into the
flight). We thankfully walked away with minor cuts/bruises, thanks in
large part to some luck in that we got far enough to be away from
houses/buildings and were over the desert when it quit (although the
desert is NOT as flat as it looks from 50 feet up!), and that I was with
my CFIG who made a great landing on some rough desert floor and kept
"flying" till the gear snapped off and it abruptly went down on its
chin. Our biggest scars are internal, but we are flying again, having
learned a lot from the experience.

It was obvious that the oil cooler split at one of the bottom fins, but
the NTSB removed the cooler and the thermo-coupler for further testing.
As of a few days ago, there still has been no final report issued, and
we too are awaiting that for various reasons. I've been told it usually
takes around 10 months, give or take, for a final report to be issued,
and that obviously, accidents involving fatalities take priority.

As for the comparison with other more recent accidents that have been
laid to rest, the investigation and results of those other accidents may
simply be more black-and-white and therefore easier/faster to resolve
and close.

I'm about to call the NTSB and ask if/when we can expect a final report.
I'll let you know if I find out anything that may be helpful.

What were you flying?, certified, or home-built?

At least you walked away with the only personal damage being to your ego.
:~)