Plain English Meaning
The federal body that investigates aircraft accidents to find out what went wrong and how to prevent it from happening again.
Full Definition
An independent U.S. federal agency responsible for investigating civil aviation accidents and incidents, determining their probable cause, and issuing safety recommendations. The NTSB also investigates accidents in other transportation modes (rail, marine, highway, pipeline) but in aviation it works alongside the FAA, with the NTSB handling investigation and the FAA handling regulation.
Context Anchor
Pilots may see NTSB mentioned in FAA handbooks, accident reports, safety alerts, and discussions of lessons learned from weather-related accidents, including accidents involving radar or onboard weather information.
Why Pilots Care
NTSB findings directly shape , training, and equipment changes that affect everyday flying safety.