[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69456-69459]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-27654]
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NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD
Notice To Reinstate a Previously Approved Information Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY: National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
ACTION: Notice to reinstate a previously approved information
collection for review and comment.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice
announces the NTSB is submitting an Information Collection Request
(ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
for renewal of a previously approved information collection, NTSB Form
6120.1. This ICR is the second notice, as required by OMB regulations
concerning approvals of information collections. This notice again
describes the nature of the information collection and its expected
burden; in addition, this notice describes some changes and additions
the NTSB has made to Form 6120.1 after receiving feedback from the
general aviation community.
DATES: Submit written comments regarding this proposed collection of
information by December 19, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Interested members of the public may submit written comments
on the collection of information to the OMB Desk Officer for the NTSB
at Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC
20503, Fax: 202-395-5806 (this is not a toll-free number), email:
[email protected]. Commenters are encouraged, but not
required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments to the National
Transportation Safety Board, ATTN: Office of Research and Engineering,
490 L'Enfant Plaza East SW., Washington, DC 20594.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Loren Groff, NTSB Office of Research
and Engineering, at (202) 314-6517.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NTSB announces the proposed extension of
a public information collection and seeks public comment on the
collection in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. The NTSB's
collection of information on Form 6120.1 is necessary to fulfill the
NTSB's statutory mandate to investigate transportation accidents,
because the form requests information concerning aviation accidents and
incidents. This Notice informs the public that it may submit comments
concerning the proposed use of this form to the OMB Desk Officer who
oversees NTSB information collections. This renewal request is not
associated with a rulemaking activity.
Paperwork Reduction Act Requirement
In accordance with OMB regulations that require this Notice for
proposed ICRs, the NTSB herein notifies the public that it may submit
comments on this proposed renewal of information collection. Title 5
CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv) requires an agency to publish in the Federal
Register a notice soliciting comments regarding the proposed
information collection. The notice must describe the information
collection, the necessity for the collection, and the estimated burden
the submission of information will impose on respondents. This notice
must advise the public that it may submit comments directly to OMB. In
accordance with these regulations, the NTSB now advises the public, via
this notice, that it may submit comments directly to OMB concerning the
NTSB's renewal of the information collected on NTSB Form 6120.1.
Prior to soliciting comments directed to OMB, the applicable
regulations require an agency to first publish in the Federal Register
a notice describing the information collection, and requesting the
public submit comments directly to the agency. 5 CFR 1320.8(d). The
NTSB published such notice on May 7, 2013. 78 FR 26659.
Public Input Regarding NTSB Form 6120.1
The NTSB did not receive any written comments concerning the
proposed renewal of the information collection. However, the NTSB held
what it has termed a ``listening session'' to obtain feedback from the
general aviation (GA) community concerning NTSB investigations. The
majority of NTSB aviation investigations concern GA accidents or
incidents, and with recent advances in technology, the NTSB seeks to
ensure it is collecting the most accurate and important information and
data to ensure appropriate findings of probable cause.
In furtherance of this goal, the NTSB met with a group of 28 people
who participated in the NTSB's GA listening session on April 3, 2013.
These owners, operators, and other members of the GA community (such as
safety researchers, educators, owner and builder associations, and
manufacturers) provided input that prompted the NTSB to include a
question on the form asking what ``additional equipment'' the aircraft
contained, within the aircraft information category. In addition, the
NTSB considered this feedback and now proposes updates to the form to
include additional options for answers to some of the questions on the
form. These changes are explained more fully below.
Description of NTSB Form 6120.1
The Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form is used
in determining the facts, conditions, and circumstances for aircraft
accident prevention activities and for statistical purposes. In
furtherance of its goal to ensure the form is updated and includes
information that will assist the NTSB in investigating accidents and
incidents, the NTSB recently determined it should replace some
questions and reorganize the form. These changes will ensure the form
solicits information concerning the latest technologies about which the
NTSB will need information. In addition, some questions on the form
will now solicit more specific information.
The majority of the form's contents remains unchanged; the form is
still divided into 17 categories, which are titled as follows: Basic
information;
[[Page 69457]]
aircraft information; owner/operator information; airport information
(to be completed if accident or incident occurred on approach, takeoff,
or within 3 miles of an airport); ``flight crew member 1'' information;
``flight crew member 2'' information \1\; additional flight crew
members; passengers/other personnel; flight itinerary information;
weather information at the accident/incident site; damage to aircraft
and other property \2\; narrative history of flight; recommendation
(concerning how the accident or incident may have been prevented);
mechanical malfunction/failure; fuel and services information;
evacuation of aircraft; and information concerning any other aircraft
involved in the accident or incident (in the event of a collision).
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\1\ Previously, the titles of the sections for pilot information
were entitled, ``Pilot `A' Information'' and ``Pilot `B'
Information,'' respectively.
\2\ Previously, the questions concerning the degree of damage
the aircraft sustained, whether it was on fire, whether it exploded,
and a description of the damage were all in distinct categories. In
the proposed new form, the NTSB will seek information concerning
aircraft damage, fire, and explosion in a general category entitled
``damage to aircraft and other property.''
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A. Basic Information
The basic information category remains largely unchanged; as
described in the NTSB's previous notice concerning this ICR, the
category requests information concerning the location and date and time
of the accident or incident, the phase of operation during which the
accident or incident occurred, and whether the occurrence was a
collision with other aircraft. The question concerning the altitude if
the event was an in-flight occurrence is no longer on the form;
instead, the basic information section includes fields in which the
respondent can enter in decimal degrees ``minutes:seconds'' the
latitude and longitude of the accident or incident.
B. Aircraft Information
1. Prior Requests
The aircraft information category continues to request the
following information concerning the aircraft: manufacturer, model,
serial number, registration number, weight and center of gravity of the
aircraft, whether the aircraft was amateur-built, category of aircraft,
type of airworthiness certificate, number of seats, type of landing
gear, type of maintenance program, type and date of last inspection,
total time on airframe, type of fire extinguishing system, type of
reciprocating fuel system, and type of propeller. The aircraft
information category also continues to request ``yes'' or ``no''
answers to the following: Whether the aircraft had a stall warning
system installed; whether the emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was
activated, and additional information about the ELT, such as whether it
aided in locating the accident/incident, its manufacturer, model/
series, serial number, and battery type. This section of the form also
still requests detailed information concerning the engine(s) on the
aircraft, such as the engine manufacturer, model/series, serial number,
date of manufacture, type of power measurement (horsepower or pounds of
thrust), total time on engine, time since last inspection, and time
since overhaul.
2. New Requests
Also within the aircraft information section, the new version of
the form will now request information concerning the following: The
year of manufacture of the aircraft and if amateur built, the make of
the kit/plans used or whether the aircraft was built according to
``original design.'' In addition, the form now requests a selection
from the following options: ``IFR [instrument flight rules] equipped
and certified,'' ``commercial space flight,'' or ``unmanned aircraft.''
The aircraft information category also now includes space for two
propellers, rather than one; if applicable, respondents will complete
information indicating the manufacturer and model of both propellers.
For the question concerning the ELT on the aircraft, the new form
includes additional questions: The TSO Number, from a selection of the
following choices: C91 (121.5 MHz); C91a (121.5 MHz); or C126 (406
MHz). In this regard, the form also solicits answers to whether the ELT
was still mounted in the aircraft, whether it was still connected to
antenna, and, if it was not activated, the reason for its damage
(impact damage, fire damage, battery expired/damaged, or unknown).
Finally, the aircraft information section also now includes a
selection from the following list of equipment, and asks respondents to
check any of the following items that were on the aircraft: ADS-B,
airframe parachute, angle of attack indicator, autopilot, data
recorder, electronic flight bag or handheld device, electronic
malfunction display, electronic primary flight display, handheld GPS,
heads up display, onboard weather, satellite tracking device, stall
warning system, video recording device, and an option stating ``other,
specify.''
C. Owner/Operator Information
The owner/operator section of NTSB Form 6120.1 also remains largely
unchanged, but is organized in a way that is more easily
understandable. The section continues to request specific information
concerning the status of the aircraft, such as the names and contact
information for both the owner and the operator of the aircraft, the
Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) under which the flight was conducted,
whether the flight was a revenue sightseeing flight or air medical
flight,\3\ the purpose of the flight, the type of revenue operation,
type of cargo operation (if applicable), and the type of commercial
operating certificate the operator holds. These questions now contain
additional options, such as FAR 415, FAR 431, FAR 435, and FAR 437 in
the question asking the ``regulation'' under which the flight was
conducted; these new FAR parts will assist the NTSB in identifying
flights that were conducted as part of a commercial space launch. It
also contains updated options concerning the purpose of the flight,
such as banner tow, external load, firefighting, glider tow, and
skydiving. The NTSB believes including these options to the questions
will ensure it obtains the most accurate responses to the form.
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\3\ The instructions section of the form, which precedes all
questions, now includes brief definitions of ``revenue sightseeing
flight'' and ``air medical flight.''
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Regarding airport information, the form continues to request the
airport name and identifier, the aircraft's proximity to the airport
(as off or on the airport or airstrip), distance and direction from
airport, and the elevation of the airport. The form includes boxes for
respondents to check describing the approach segment, type of IFR
approach, type of visual flight rules (VFR) approach, runway
information, and type and condition of runway or landing surface. These
questions remain unchanged. However, within the airport departure
segment question, the form will now offer the following options in
addition to the existing ones: ``taxi,'' ``takeoff,'' ``initial
climb,'' ``VFR departure,'' ``IFR departure/clearance,'' and
``unknown.'' The NTSB believes these additional options will ensure the
most accurate responses.
D. Crew Information
1. Prior Requests
Concerning the crew aboard the aircraft, the form continues to
request information on both pilots, such as names and contact
information, dates of birth, certificate numbers, degree of injury,
seats occupied, whether the
[[Page 69458]]
pilots used seat belts and shoulder harnesses, the types of pilot and
medical certificates held, the principal occupation, and date of last
aviation medical examination. With regard to each pilot's medical
information, the form also requests a listing of any medical
certificate limitations and waivers. The form also requests information
concerning each pilot's flight reviews, such as the date of the last
flight review and the type of aircraft used on the last flight review;
further, the form solicits information concerning each pilot's ratings,
such as aircraft ratings, instrument ratings, instructor ratings, and
type ratings, as well as student endorsements. Finally, the form
includes a table requesting the amount of flight time (categorized into
the following sections: Total flight time, pilot-in-command time,
instructor time, time in this make/model, and time during the last 90
days, 30 days, and 24 hours) concerning: all aircraft, the make and
model of the aircraft in which the pilot accrued the flight time,
airplane single- and multi-engine, night, instrument, rotorcraft,
glider, and lighter than air. The only addition to the sections
soliciting information on flight crew member 1 and flight crew member 2
is a ``yes'' or ``no'' answer to the statement ``Flight crew member 1
was the pilot flying'' and ``Flight crew member 2 was the pilot
flying,'' respectively.
2. New Requests and Other Changes
In a category concerning additional crewmembers, the form now
includes two spaces \4\ for listing the following information
concerning different crewmembers: Crewmembers' names and contact
information, degree of injury, seat occupied, type of pilot
certificates, whether the crewmember was type-rated for the aircraft
involved in the accident or incident, and the total flight time at the
time of the accident or incident. With regard to passengers, the form
only requests the name, city, state, and zip code for each passenger,
as well as the seat number, whether the passenger is crew, non-revenue,
revenue, non-occupant, or Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Previously, the form included eight spaces for listing eight
passengers' information. The new form includes four spaces for
passenger information, as the NTSB determined four spaces are
sufficient.
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\4\ Previously, the form included spaces for three pilots. The
NTSB determined only two spaces are necessary.
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In both the flight crew member 1 and 2 sections, the additional
flight crewmember section, and in the passengers/other personnel
section, the NTSB has reorganized them and included additional options
concerning its questions about restraints. Each of these questions now
include the following table:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Restraint type
----------------------------------------------------- Inflatable
Available Used restraints
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[cir] None...................... [cir] None........ [cir] Not
installed.
[cir] Lap Only.................. [cir] Lap Only.... [cir] Installed.
[cir] 3-point................... [cir] 3-point..... [cir] Not
deployed.
[cir] 4-point................... [cir] 4-point..... [cir] Deployed.
[cir] 5-point................... [cir] 5-point..... [cir] Unknown.
[cir] Unknown................... [cir] Unknown..... ..................
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In addition, the passenger(s)/other personnel section, which
contains four spaces, now will also include a section of the restraint
table requesting whether a child under 5 years old was on the aircraft,
and whether the restraint was: ``child restraint,'' ``lap-held,'' or
``unknown.''
E. Flight Itinerary Information
As described in the NTSB's previous notice concerning this form,
the NTSB also requests information concerning the flight itinerary,
such as the last departure point and time of departure, and the
destination. By way of check-the-box responses, this category also
requests information concerning the type of flight plan filed, type of
air traffic control clearance or service, airspace where the accident
or incident occurred, and a description of the aircraft load. This
section does not contain any proposed changes.
F. Weather Information at the Accident/Incident Site
The form requests information concerning weather conditions at the
time of the accident. These requests within the weather category
continue to ask for information concerning the weather observation
facility; the source of weather information; the method of briefing
concerning weather as well as the type and completeness of the
briefing; the light condition; characterization of visibility; sky and
lowest cloud condition; the ceiling and its height; the restriction on
visibility; the wind direction, speed, and gusts; the type and severity
of turbulence; and a list of Notices to Airman and other similar
advisories in effect at the time of the flight. In addition, the form
requests the temperature, altimeter setting, density altitude, and dew
point. Finally, this category of the form requests information
concerning actual and forecasted conditions concerning icing, as well
as the type and intensity of any precipitation. This category only
contains the addition of one option in the ``source of pilot weather
information section'': Respondents may now select ``on-board weather''
as their means of receiving weather information.
G. Narrative History of Flight
As stated above, the form concludes with areas for a narrative
history of the flight and the events or actions the respondent believes
may have prevented the accident or incident. The proposed new form
contains these categories in a new location, but the text of the
questions are the same.
H. Other Information
The form seeks information concerning whether the aircraft
sustained a mechanical malfunction or failure. The questions within
this category, as well as the categories requesting fuel and services
information, data concerning the evacuation of the aircraft (if
applicable), and information concerning the other aircraft (if a
collision occurred) remain the same as described in the NTSB's earlier
notice concerning this information collection.
I. Certification Statement
Finally, as described in the NTSB's previous notice regarding this
[[Page 69459]]
information collection, the form also includes a certification
statement for the respondent to sign, attesting that the information
provided on the form is complete and accurate to the best of his or her
knowledge. The proposed new version of the form will allow respondents
to electronically sign the form by checking a box.
Use of Information on NTSB Form 6120.1
As described in its May 7, 2013 notice, the NTSB generally uses the
information provided on Form 6120.1 to determine the facts, conditions,
and circumstances for aircraft accident prevention activities and for
statistical purposes. The NTSB typically receives several notifications
for each accident or incident, but only requests completion of Form
6120.1 once the NTSB has determined it will pursue an investigation
into the event. The NTSB utilizes a ``party process,'' as described in
49 CFR part 831, for its investigations. This process involves the
NTSB's invitation to outside entities to assist with an investigation
as a ``party.'' The NTSB extends party status to those organizations
that can provide the necessary technical assistance to the
investigation. The investigator-in-charge (IIC), for example, often
confers party status to the operator, aircraft, systems, and powerplant
manufacturers, and labor organizations involved because of the accident
circumstances. Everyone involved in an NTSB investigation, including
the parties, depend on accurate information contained in NTSB Form
6120.1 while conducting the investigation and determining which areas
warrant focus and attention. Overall, the NTSB considers Form 6120.1 to
be critical to its statutory function of investigation accidents and
incidents, and subsequently issuing safety recommendations in an effort
to prevent future accidents and incidents.
The NTSB has carefully considered whether this collection of
information on Form 6120.1 is duplicative of any other agency's
collections of information. The NTSB is unaware of any form the FAA
disseminates that solicits the same information Form 6120.1 requires.
However, the NTSB notes some operators may choose to provide a
voluntary report to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) in accordance with the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS).
NASA will not accept ASRS reports concerning aircraft accidents;
however, it is possible that an operator could report an incident to
the NTSB, as defined in 49 CFR 830.2, and contemporaneously submit an
ASRP report to NASA.
The NTSB notes completion of NTSB Form 6120.1 is not voluntary, but
is required by 49 CFR 830.15(a). The NTSB, in general, will not accept
partially completed forms; NTSB investigators will exercise their
discretion in requesting completion of a copy of Form 6120.1 a
respondent submits that is partially completed. In many cases, the NTSB
recognizes not all fields will apply to each event; therefore, the NTSB
will not require completion of inapplicable fields.
Currently, the NTSB accepts paper copies of Form 6120.1 sent via
postal mail or facsimile, as well as electronic copies of Form 6120.1
that respondents submit via electronic mail. For electronically
submitted copies, the NTSB notes its public Web site contains a fill-
able version of Form 6120.1. As described above, the updated version of
the form will include a box the respondent can check to electronically
sign the form; therefore, respondents need not scan a copy of the form
to send it via electronic mail, because respondents now have the option
of completing the form by typing answers within the electronic version
and sending it via electronic mail.
The NTSB has carefully reviewed the form to ensure that it has used
plain, coherent, and unambiguous terminology in its request for
information. The NTSB estimates that respondents will spend
approximately 60 minutes in completing the form. The NTSB estimates
that approximately 1,800 respondents per year will complete the form,
but notes that this number may vary, given the unpredictable nature of
the frequency of aviation accidents and incidents.
Deborah A.P. Hersman,
Chairman.
[FR Doc. 2013-27654 Filed 11-18-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7533-01-P