[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 7]
[Revised as of October 1, 2006]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR800.2]

[Page 119-121]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
           CHAPTER VIII--NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD
 
PART 800_ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD AND DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY--Table of Contents
 
                  Subpart A_Organization and Functions
 
Sec.  800.2  Organization.

    The Board consists of five Members appointed by the President with 
the advice and consent of the Senate. One of the Members is designated 
by the President as Chairman with the advice and consent of the Senate 
and one as Vice Chairman. The Members exercise various functions, 
powers, and duties set forth in the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as 
amended (49 U.S.C. 40101 et seq.), and the Independent Safety Board Act 
of 1974, as amended (49 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.). The Board is an 
independent agency of the United States. More detailed descriptions of 
the Board and its work are contained in other parts of this chapter 
VIII, notably parts 825, 830 through 835, and 840 through 850. Various 
special delegations of authority from the Board and the Chairman to the 
staff are set forth in subpart B of this part. The Board's staff is 
comprised of the following principal components:
    (a) The Office of the Managing Director, which assists the Chairman 
in the discharge of his functions as executive and administrative head 
of the Board; coordinates and directs the activities of the staff; is 
responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Board; and recommends 
and develops plans to achieve the Board's program objectives. The Office 
of the Managing Director also provides executive secretariat services to 
the Board.
    (b) The Office of Government, Public, and Family Affairs, which 
supplies the Congress and Federal, State, and local government agencies 
with information regarding the Safety Board's activities, programs and 
objectives; supplies the public, the transportation industry and the 
news media with current, accurate information concerning the work, 
programs, and objectives of the Board; coordinates public and private 
responsibilities, including aid to survivors and families of accident 
victims, in the wake of transportation disasters. This Office maintains 
the 24-hour Communications Center, which assists in coordinating 
accident notification and launch operations for all modes and provides 
an off-hour base for family assistance functions during accident 
investigations.
    (c) The Office of the General Counsel, which provides legal advice 
and assistance to the Board and its staff; prepares Board rules, 
opinions and/or orders, and advice to all offices on matters of legal 
significance; and represents the Board in judicial matters

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to which the Board is a party or in which the Board is interested.
    (d) The Office of Administrative Law Judges, which conducts all 
formal proceedings arising under the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as 
amended, including proceedings involving civil penalties and suspension 
or revocation of certificates, and appeals from actions of the Federal 
Aviation Administrator in refusing to issue airman certificates.
    (e) The Office of Aviation Safety, which conducts investigations of 
all aviation accidents within the Board's jurisdiction; prepares reports 
for submission to the Board and release to the public setting forth the 
facts and circumstances of such accidents, including a recommendation as 
to the probable cause(s); determines the probable cause(s) of accidents 
when delegated authority to do so by the Board; initiates safety 
recommendations to prevent future aviation accidents; participates in 
the investigation of accidents that occur in foreign countries and 
involve U.S.-registered and/or U.S.-manufactured aircraft; and conducts 
special investigations into selected aviation accidents involving safety 
issues of concern to the Board.
    (f) The Office of Railroad Safety, which conducts investigations of 
railroad accidents within the Board's jurisdiction; prepares reports for 
submission to the Board and release to the public setting forth the 
facts and circumstances of such accidents, including a recommendation as 
to the probable cause(s); determines the probable cause(s) of accidents 
when delegated authority to do so by the Board; initiates safety 
recommendations to prevent future railroad accidents; and conducts 
special investigations into selected rail accidents involving safety 
issues of concern to the Board.
    (g) The Office of Highway Safety, which conducts investigations of 
highway accidents, including railroad grade-crossing accidents, within 
the Board's jurisdiction; prepares reports for submission to the Board 
and release to the public setting forth the facts and circumstances of 
such accidents, including a recommendation as to the probable cause(s); 
determines the probable cause(s) of accidents when delegated authority 
to do so by the Board; initiates safety recommendations to prevent 
future highway accidents; and conducts special investigations into 
selected highway accidents involving safety issues of concern to the 
Board.
    (h) The Office of Marine Safety, which conducts investigations of 
marine accidents within the Board's jurisdiction; prepares reports for 
submission to the Board and release to the public setting forth the 
facts and circumstances of such accidents, including a recommendation as 
to the probable cause(s); determines the probable cause(s) of accidents 
when delegated authority to do so by the Board; initiates safety 
recommendations to prevent future marine accidents; participates in the 
investigation of accidents that occur in foreign countries and that 
involve U.S.-registered vessels; and conducts special investigations 
into selected marine accidents involving safety issues of concern to the 
Board.
    (i) The Office of Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety, which 
conducts investigations of pipeline and hazardous materials accidents 
within the Board's jurisdiction; prepares reports for submission to the 
Board and release to the public setting forth the facts and 
circumstances of such accidents, including a recommendation as to the 
probable cause(s); determines the probable causes of accidents when 
delegated authority to do so by the Board; initiates safety 
recommendations to prevent future pipeline and hazardous materials 
accidents; and conducts special investigations into selected pipeline 
and hazardous materials accidents involving safety issues of concern to 
the Board.
    (j) The Office of Research and Engineering, which conducts research 
and carries out analytical studies and tests involving all modes, 
including readouts of voice and data recorders, flight path analysis and 
computer simulation/animation, component examination and material 
failure analysis; conducts safety studies of specific safety issues; 
performs statistical analyses of transportation accident and incident 
data; maintains archival records of the Board's accident investigation 
and

[[Page 121]]

safety promotion activities and supports public access to these records; 
and administers the Board's information technology infrastructure, 
including computer systems, networks, databases, and application 
software.
    (k) The Office of Safety Recommendations & Accomplishments, which 
oversees the Board's safety recommendations program, including the 
Board's ``MOST WANTED'' recommendations, and the Board's safety 
accomplishment program.

[60 FR 61488, Nov. 30, 1996, as amended at 61 FR 14521, April 2, 1995; 
63 FR 71605, Dec. 29, 1998; 64 FR 5621, Feb. 4, 1999]