The NTSB normally pursues action against organizations that release accident investigation information without its approval. In fact, the Board dismissed UPS Airlines and its pilots' union last summer from an investigation for just such a transgression during the probe of the 2013 UPS A300 crash in Birmingham, Ala.
This week, the FAA drew significant fire from the NTSB for much the same offense, “mistakenly releasing preliminary information” following a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request related to the March 2014 US Airways accident in Philadelphia. The FOIA response returned a draft report that detailed conflicting investigative viewpoints, and the material subsequently appeared in several mainstream media stories.
The Board said the FAA is “required, but failed, to notify and seek the necessary approval from the NTSB prior to releasing their draft report,” adding that “allowing any party to release investigative information without approval may enable that party to influence the public perception of the investigation and undercut the fairness of the process.”
An FAA spokeperson told AIN that the agency “takes its accident investigation responsibilities and duties very seriously. The agency is reviewing this case to see how the disclosure of information occurred and will review its policies and procedures to ensure that information from accident investigations is properly protected.”