NTSB Proposes Changes To Rules Governing Hearings

The NTSB has proposed, through a notice in the Federal Register, a number of substantive and technical changes to some provisions of Part 845 regulations that focus on the Board’s procedures for holding investigative hearings, various types of meetings, issuing reports and responding to petitions for reconsideration. The reorganization’s goal, in the wake of a 2012 Executive Order, is to make Part 845 easier to understand and work with. For example, the Board wants to clarify that hearings are not conducted for the purpose of determining the rights or liabilities of anyone. Another new section outlines that the Board will not discuss meetings related to investigations and NTSB products, even though such meetings are a key component of the Board’s work and provide transparency into agency activities and operations. Additionally, the NTSB proposes to better explain that an investigative hearing is designed to obtain accurate, complete and well documented factual information related to NTSB investigations while further identifying the facts, conditions, and circumstances of the transportation event. Industry comments may be delivered via the Federal eRulemaking Portal and are due May 18.