NTSB · Safety Recommendation
Safety Recommendation A-12-067
Recommendation
TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION: Issue and distribute a publicly available safety bulletin to all 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 139-certificated airports and to representative organizations of off-airport first responders, such as the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the National Fire Protection Association, to (1) inform first responders of the risks posed by the potential presence of all safety devices that contain explosive components (including ejection seats) on an aircraft during accident investigation and recovery and (2) offer instructions about how to quickly obtain information from the Federal Aviation Administration’s online aircraft registry regarding the presence of these safety devices that contain explosive components on an aircraft.
Safety Issue and Context
Many airplanes are equipped with ejection seats, ballistic recovery systems (BRS), and inflatable restraints that contain explosive components to activate the safety devices, and the number is increasing as newly certificated aircraft with BRS and after-market inflatable restraints become more prevalent. The five accidents discussed below are examples of accidents that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has investigated in which the presence of these devices on the accident aircraft was not initially known to those on scene.
Although none of these accidents resulted in injuries or fatalities to first responders or accident investigators due to postaccident activation of the explosive components in these safety devices, these explosive components, if they remain charged and are unknown to first responders and investigators, pose a high level of risk to those working in and around the aircraft wreckage.
Response History
July 11, 2014 · NTSB Correspondence · FAA
On July 29, 2013, you issued Certification Alert (CertAlert) No. 13-04, highlighting the risks associated with explosive components in safety devices, as well as instructions for obtaining additional information. We issued this recommendation to ensure that accident investigators and first responders were aware both of revisions made in response to Safety Recommendations A-12-64 through -66 and of ways to access this enhanced information. In our March 13, 2013, letter, we cautioned that action to address this recommendation could not be completed until after Safety Recommendations A-12-64 through -66 were implemented.
Because you do not intend to take the actions specified in Safety Recommendations A-12-64 through 66, Safety Recommendation A-12-67 is classified CLOSED—UNACCEPTABLE ACTION.
May 9, 2014 · Recipient Response · FAA
-From Michael P. Huerta, Administrator: The FAA agrees with the intent of this recommendation. We issued Certification Alert (CertAlert) No. 13-04 on July 29, 2013 to all part 139 airport operators. This CertAlert highlighted the potential risks associated with explosive components in safety devices as well as instructions on where to obtain additional information. The International Association of Fire Chiefs and the National Fire Prevention Association subscribe to our CertAlert Web site and were notified when we added the new CertAlert. This CertAlert is available on the following Web site: http://www.faa.gov/airports/airport_safety/certalerts/media/cert1304.pdf
I believe that the FAA has effectively addressed these recommendations and consider our actions complete.
March 13, 2013 · NTSB Correspondence · FAA
We issued this recommendation to ensure that accident investigators and first responders are aware both of revisions made by the FAA in response to Safety Recommendations A 12 64 through -66 and of ways to access this enhanced information. The FAA’s plan to revise Certification Alert (CertAlert) bulletin 04-13, and to provide copies of the updated CertAlert to airport and industry groups such as the IAFC, the NFPA, the American Association of Airport Executives, and the Airports Council International, constitutes an acceptable plan for proceeding.