The NTSB has released its revised Most Wanted safety recommendations list. The new list is a result of the overhaul of the Most Wanted program that was requested by the Board in May.

As a result of the review, the Board decided to consider Most Wanted issues in separate meetings in order to maximize effectiveness of the list as a safety tool. The meeting today considered recommendations to federal agencies including the Department of Transportation (DOT), DOT modal administrations and the US Coast Guard. Recommendations to states and industry will be reviewed in a separate meeting next fall. Additionally, issues were assigned a red, yellow or green classification to indicate action and timeliness of progress. Red indicates a classification of "unacceptable response;" yellow denotes "acceptable response, but progressing slowly;" and green marks recommendations with an acceptable response and timely progress.

"The Most Wanted List includes safety issues that we believe will make the greatest impact on transportation safety," said Chairman Engleman (below, right), "The Board will use this revised safety tool to aggressively pursue safety and achieve safety results."

Under the leadership of the Board, NTSB staff joined with federal agencies to create teams called SWAT (Safety With A Team) to address all of the open recommendations. 
 
Under the SWAT approach instrumental members of the Safety Board and the appropriate federal agency work in cooperation to implement needed safety improvements. Since March 2003 teams have discussed implementation or compliance with 94 recommendations, and progress continues. As a result of the new focus the Board has closed 111 recommendations since April 1, 2003. "Issuing recommendations is not enough," said Chairman Engleman," "Implementation is the key and the Board will work with its partners in safety to clear languishing recommendations."

Current Aviation-Specific "Most Wanted" Items

• Airport Runway Incursions
• • Action Needed by The Federal Aviation Administration. Provide for Safer Control of Aircraft on the Ground.
• Airframe Structural Icing
• • Action Needed by The Federal Aviation Administration Revise Icing Criteria and Certification Testing Requirements. Research and Develop On-Board Aircraft Ice Protection and Detection Systems.
• Explosive Mixtures in Fuel Tanks on Transport Category Aircraft
• • Action Needed by The Federal Aviation Administration. Require Preclusion of Operation of Transport Category Aircraft with Explosive Fuel-Air Mixture in Fuel Tanks.

Other Most Wanted Items Involving Aviation

• Child Occupant Protection
• • Action Needed by the States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Automobile Industry, and the Child Restraint Industry. Educate public about transporting children in back seats; make the back seat more child friendly; require booster seats; develop funding for child passenger safety education;require restraints for infants and small children on airplanes; and require personal flotation devices for children.  
• Human Fatigue in Transportation Operations
• • Action Needed by the Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Research & Special Programs Administration, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, the United Transportation Union, the Association of American Railroads and the American Public Transit Association. Study the relationship of fatigue in the transportationindustry and update applicable regulations.  
• Automatic Information Recording Devices
• • Action Needed by the Federal Highway Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, the United States Coast Guard, various trucking associations, the Teamsters Union, and the American Public Transit Association Require devices that will automatically record specified information. (elements from this area also included in the Commercial Truck and Bus Safety and Highway Vehicle Occupant Protection areas) 

The revised Most Wanted brochure with the new color-coded timeliness classifications is available on the website's Most Wanted page.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov