[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 6]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR831.11]

[Page 209-210]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
                              SAFETY BOARD
 
PART 831--ACCIDENT/INCIDENT INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 831.11  Parties to the investigation.

    (a) All Investigations, regardless of mode. (1) The investigator-in-
charge designates parties to participate in the investigation. Parties 
shall be limited to those persons, government agencies, companies, and 
associations whose employees, functions, activities, or products were 
involved in the accident or incident and who can provide suitable 
qualified technical personnel actively to assist in the investigation. 
Other than the FAA in aviation cases, no

[[Page 210]]

other entity is afforded the right to participate in Board 
investigations.
    (2) Participants in the investigation (i.e., party representatives, 
party coordinators, and/or the larger party organization) shall be 
responsive to the direction of Board representatives and may lose party 
status if they do not comply with their assigned duties and activity 
proscriptions or instructions, or if they conduct themselves in a manner 
prejudicial to the investigation.
    (3) No party to the investigation shall be represented in any aspect 
of the NTSB investigation by any person who also represents claimants or 
insurers. No party representative may occupy a legal position (see Sec. 
845.13 of this chapter). Failure to comply with these provisions may 
result in sanctions, including loss of status as a party.
    (4) Title 49, United States Code Sec. 1132 provides for the 
appropriate participation of the FAA in Board investigations, and Sec. 
1131(a)(2) provides for such participation by other departments, 
agencies, or instrumentalities. The FAA and those other entities that 
meet the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section will be 
parties to the investigation with the same rights and privileges and 
subject to the same limitations as other parties, provided however that 
representatives of the FAA need not sign the ``Statement of Party 
Representatives to NTSB Investigation'' (see paragraph (b) of this 
section).
    (b) Aviation investigations. In addition to compliance with the 
provisions of paragraph (a) of this section, and to assist in ensuring 
complete understanding of the requirements and limitations of party 
status, all party representatives in aviation investigations shall sign 
``Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation'' immediately 
upon attaining party representative status. Failure timely to sign that 
statement may result in sanctions, including loss of status as a party.

[62 FR 3808, Jan. 27, 1997, as amended at 63 FR 71606, Dec. 29, 1998]