Transportation Safety Databases - Accident Records and Exposure Data Special Library Association presentation June 9, 2003

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Transportation Safety Databases - Accident
Records and Exposure DataSpecial Library
Associationpresentation June 9, 2003
Deborah Bruce, Ph.D. Safety Studies and
Statistical Analysis Division National
Transportation Safety Board bruced_at_ntsb.gov
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Federal Transportation Databases
Scope Accident, Incident, Activity,
Commodity Degree of injury, Property
damage, Quantity of released substance Type of
occurrence Modal Differences Aviation, Highway,
Pipeline, Railroad, Marine, Intermodal Analytic
Purpose Need to normalize for comparisons
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The Purpose of Accident and Injury Data

• Determine the severity of an event
• Provide a basis for prevention / mitigation
  strategies
• Aid in calculating cost of transportation
  accidents
• Basis for setting priorities and resource
  allocation

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Haddon Matrix
Phase of Event Precrash, Crash, Postcrash Risk
Factors Human, Vehicle, Physical
Environment Socioeconomic Environment
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Safety ReportTransportation Safety
DatabasesNTSB/SR-02/02
All modes represented, 18 Accident and Incident
databases that represented the most frequently
used by NTSB (Listed in handout)
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Database Review

• Representativeness
• Accuracy
• Timeliness
• Completeness
• Intermodal Compatibility
• Budget and Staff

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User Interviews

• Air Transport Association, Regional Airline
  Association, Allied Pilots Association, Aircraft
  Owners and Pilots Association, Flight Safety
  Foundation, Briling and Associates, AAA
  Foundation for Traffic Safety, American Trucking
  Association, Insurance Institute for Highway
  Safety
• Gas Research Institute, American Petroleum
  Institute, Association of Oil Pipelines
• Association of American Railroads, American Short
  Line Railroad Association, Union Pacific,
  Burlington Northern, CSX
• NASBLA, National Safe Boating Council

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Lifecycle of a Database

• Development Needs Assessment and Design
• Operation Data Collection, Data Entry, Data
  Auditing, Data Analysis, Output
• Evaluation External Feedback, Internal Feedback

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Aviation Accident Dataa closer look at
aviation accident eventsand how we
measureexposure to risk
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History of NTSB Aviation Accident Data

• Accident data starting in 1962 for airlines and
  1964 for GA, commuters and air-taxi
• 1982-1984 Expanded data collection to include
  longer narrative, more detailed sequence of
  events, supplemental forms
• 2000 Transition to fully relational SQL Server
  database Accident Data Management System
  (ADMS). Includes all accident data between 1982
  present

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ADMS System

• Approximately 40,000 accidents and incidents from
  1982 present
• Each record can contains up to 650 data elements
  relating to personnel, aircraft and environment
• Data types include Alphanumeric code (e.g.,
  engine type, sequence of events codes)
  Dates/Times (e.g., event date) Integers (e.g.,
  altitude, runway length) Text (e.g., operator
  name, narrative) Multiple Response (e.g., crew
  certification)

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What is an Aviation Accident?

• An Accident is an occurrence with the operation
  of an aircraft which
• takes place between the time any person boards
  the aircraft with the intention of flight until
  all such persons have disembarked, AND
• any person suffers death or serious injury, OR
• the aircraft receives substantial damage (49 CFR
  830)Substantial Damage adversely affects the
  structural strength, performance, or flight
  characteristics of the aircraft AND
• Would normally require major repair or
  replacement of the affected component.

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What is an Injury?

• Fatal Injury results in death within 30 days of
  an accident
• Serious Injury- requires hospitalization for
  more than 48 hours, commencing within 7 days-
  results in a fracture of any bone- causes severe
  hemorrhages, nerve, muscle, or tendon damage-
  involves any internal organ- involves 2nd or 3rd
  degree burns or burns affecting gt5 of the body

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What types of Aircraft Operations are Included?

• Part 121 Commercial Air Carriers (scheduled and
  nonscheduled)
• Part 135 Scheduled Operations
• Part 135 Nonscheduled Air Taxis
• Part 91 General Aviation
• Public Use Operations
• Part 103 Ultralights
• Part 129 Foreign Air Carriers
• Part 137 Agricultural Operations
• Part 133 Rotorcraft External Load

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What is General Aviation?
NOT Part 121 Scheduled Air Carriers Part 121
Non-scheduled Cargo Part 135 Scheduled
Commuters Part 135 Non-scheduled Air Taxi NUSC
Non-US Scheduled Commercial IS US Registered (N
aircraft) Part 137 Aerial Applications Part
91 General Operating Flt Rules PUBU Public Use
Operations Other Work Use Stolen, suicides,
sabotage, etc
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Which Aircraft are not in the NTSB Accident
Database?

• Military aircraft (unless the accident also
  involves civil aircraft)
• Foreign-registered aircraft
• Certain public use (government) aircraft
  (as defined in 49 CFR, Part 830.5)
• Ultralights (powered aircraft weighing less
  than 254 lbs.)
• Commercial space launches

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How many Aviation Accidents are in the NTSB
Database?
1962-1981 contains 87,048 records 1982-2002
contains 50,184 records Database available in
Access ftp//www.ntsb.gov/avdata
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How many accidents per year?

• Part 121 accidents average than 41/yr
• Part 121 scheduled avg 36/yr
• Part 121 nonscheduled avg 5/yr
• Part 135 scheduled avg 11/yr
• Part 135 nonscheduled avg 76/yr
• General Aviation avg 1,898/yr
• Totals around 2000 accidents per year

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How Can I Get Accident Data?

• Aviation accident statistics from the
  webwww.ntsb.gov
• Investigations and Safety Studies
• Annual Review publications
• Full database is available on our web site
  ftp//www.ntsb.gov/avdata
• Accident queries via web site

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Accident Statistics
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NTSB Publications
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NTSB Aviation Publications www.ntsb.gov
Annual Aviation Accident Reviews (Commercial
Air Carrier and General Aviation) 1998 and
1999 Air Carrier and 1998 GA completed 1999
Air Carrier and 1999 GA are being prepared for
publication, 2000 Air Carrier in progress Safety
Studies Transportation Safety Databases, Public
Aircraft Safety, Survivability, Aircraft
Evacuations, ATC Equipment Outages, Safety in
Alaska, Safety of Air Tour Industry, Commuter
Airline Safety, Wake Vortex Safety Issues,
Flightcrew-Involved Accidents 1978-1990 Accident
Investigation Reports
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Accident Reports
Includes History of Flight, Injury information,
Damage to Aircraft, Pertinent personnel
information, Aircraft Information, Meteorological
information, Aids to navigation, Communication,
Aerodrome information, Flight information,
Wreckage or impact information, Medical or
pathological information, Fire, Survival or
forensic aspects, Tests and research,
Organizational and management information,
Effective investigative techniques
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Annual Reviews
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NTSB Website Query Tool

• Best for simple queries to find a set of
  accidents with a common basic feature, no
  aggregation
• Allows access to narrative descriptions and
  limited data for 1962-1981 accidents
• Results in report status, narrative, probable
  cause, contributing factors, and basic accident
  data
• Requires internet connectionhttp//www.ntsb.gov/n
  tsb/query.aspquery_start

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Accident database query via web
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NTSB Website Query Tool
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Downloadable datasets from NTSB FTP site

• Best for more complex queries requiring fields
  not available using Website Query Tool
• Allows highly customized searches
• Allows data aggregation/analysis
• Requires internet connection and 1995 or later
  version of MSAccess

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ftp//www.ntsb.gov/avdata

• Avdata DIR contains a readme file,
• A diagram of the relational database
  (admspub.pdf),
• The coding manual (codman.pdf),
• A copy of the SQL database structure,
• A subdirectory of .mdb databases (years
  1982-2003),
• Weekly updates for current data
• Within each access database (as a table), there
  is a Data dictionary and translation tables

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Accident Investigation Process - How is the
Accident Database developed?

• Accident data input from accident safety
  investigator via distributed data collection
  software
• Preliminary accident record appears within 5-10
  days
• Factual data entered in about 6 months
• Final report with probable cause 12-18 months
  following the accident

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Aviation Safety Investigators Data Entry Process
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Types of Investigations

• Majors
• Field
• Limited
• Foreign
• What does the accident number tell us?

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NTSB Number Decoder

• ATL02LA084
• 3-letter code Office Identifier, ATL Southeast
  regional office in Atlanta
• 2-digit fiscal year, 02 2002
• 1-letter type of investigation code, L Limited
• 1-letter transportation mode code, A Aviation
• 3-digit sequential numbering, 084 84th accident
  in 2002 for that regional office

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Products of Investigations

• Final Accident Report
• Docket records
• ADMS Database records

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What, When, and Why of Accidents

• WHAT Occurrences
• WHEN Phase of Flight
• WHY Sequence of Events

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Whats the meaning of an Accident Rate
Calculationsand how do we quantify risk
NTSB Accident Counts ____________________ FAA
Activity Measures
EVENTS ________ EXPOSURE

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Aviation Accident Rates by Sector (per 100,000
Flight Hours)
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GA Accidents, Flight Hours
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Estimated GA Flight Hours by Category (in
Millions)
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Aviation Flight Hours by Type(in
Hundred-Thousands)
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Revision of FAA Air Taxi Flight Hour Estimates
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Total Aircraft Occupants and Injury Totals
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GA Aircraft Shipped
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Estimated Active GA Aircraft
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Highest Certificate for Accident Involved GA
Pilots
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DATA STUDYSurvivability of Accidents Involving
Part 121 U.S. Air Carrier Operations, 1983-2000
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Occupant Survival for All Part 121 Accidents
(2,280)
(51,207)
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Survivable Accidents

• Forces transmitted to occupants through their
  seat and restraint systems cannot exceed the
  limits of human tolerance for abrupt
  accelerations
• Structure in the occupants immediate environment
  must remain substantially intact to the extent
  that a livable volume is provided throughout the
  crash

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Occupant Survivalfor Survivable Part 121
Accidents
(131)
(306)
(1,523)
(28)
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Report Definition of a Serious Accident

• At least one serious injury or fatality
• Substantial damage or completedestruction of an
  aircraft
• Fire (Pre-crash or Post-crash)

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Occupant Survival for Serious Part 121 Accidents
(131)
(716)
(1,524)
(28)
(340)
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Conclusions

• 96 percent survive all accidents
• 56 percent survive serious accidents
• 77 percent survive serious-survivable accidents

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Data Sources Related to Accidents
NTSB Data Recommendation NTSB Docket System of
Records Other Sources of Related Safety Data
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NTSB Safety Recommendations
Since 1967 Total Recs Issued 12,026
10
16
19
37
16
2
Total Aviation Recs 4,419 Currently 342 Open
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NTSB Public Docket

• Archive of materials pertinent to an
  accident/incident
• History Microfiche, Mainframe based, Docket
  Management System (DMS)
• Public Access
• Public Reference Room at NTSB HQ
• Online Request Form (http//www.ntsb.gov/pubmail/p
  ubmail.asp)
• Contractor General Microfilm 301-929-8888

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Items in the NTSB Public Docket

• Preliminary report
• Hearing documents
• IIC factual reports
• Group chair factual reports
• Studies by board staff
• Board reports
• Supporting Material

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NTSB Public Docket

• Supporting Materials may include
• Pilot/operator aircraft report
• Witness statements or records of interviews
• Maps/charts
• Excerpts from manuals
• Weather reports
• Transcripts of radio communications
• Statement of party representatives

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NTSB Public Docket

• Supporting Materials may include
• Reports from other federal agencies
• Reports from state or local agencies
• Submissions or correspondence from parties to the
  investigations
• Flight Data Recorder (FDR) data
• Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) transcript
• Release of wreckage form
• Toxicology reports

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NTSB Public Docket

• Supporting Materials may include
• Transcripts from hearings/depositions
• Petitions for reconsideration
• Related safety recommendations and/or safety
  studies
• Drawings (e.g., engineering sketches)
• Photographs pertinent to the accident
• Data files
• Other materials (flight plans, fueling records,
  load manifests, etc.)

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NTSB Public Docket

• Supporting Materials may include
• Reports from other federal agencies
• Reports from state or local agencies
• Submissions or correspondence from parties to the
  investigations
• Flight Data Recorder (FDR) data
• Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) transcript
• Release of wreckage form
• Toxicology reports

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What is NOT on the NTSB Public Docket

• Autopsy reports or photos
• Proprietary, confidential or trade secret items
• Contracts or dollar amounts that are irrelevant
  to understanding the event
• Privacy-protected material names, addresses,
  SSN, etc
• Preliminary documents/notes

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Aviation Safety Data Sources Other than NTSB
FAA NASDAC (www.nasdac.faa.gov) AirClaims
CASE2 ICAO ADREP 2000 (www.icao.int) FAA CAMI
BTS Activity Data (www.bts.gov)
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National Aviation Safety Data Analysis Center

• NASDAC provides the public with access to
• several of the principal aviation safety data
• and information sources the Federal Government
• uses for various purposes.
• FAA Air Registry
• Aviation Safety Reporting System
• BTS Airline Traffic and Capacity
• FAA Accident / Incident Data System
• Near Midair Collision System
• NTSB Safety Recommendations w/ FAA Responses
• NTSB Aviation Accident Database
• World Aircraft Accident Summary

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AirClaims CASE2

• Airclaims 2 major insurance agencies do claims
  adjustment for 40 of airline accidents
• Client Aviation System Enquiry (CASE) software
  and subscription service
• Worldwide accident/loss information
• Records back to 1948
• Full histories of approx 80K aircraft, including
  transfers, hours, cycles, weight, seating, etc.

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ICAO Reportingfor ADREP 2000 System www.icao.int

• Internl Accident Data is collected by ICAO
• ICAOs Accident Investigation and Prevention
• (AIG) Section maintains ADREP 2000
• Member Countries Report based on Annex 13
• Reporting Criteria max wt over 2,250 kg
• Bimonthly ADREP Summary of Accident and
  Incident Reports

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FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI)
CAMI Library has Online Catalog Books Tech
Reports Archived Historical Documents Cataloge
d Websites CAMI provides NTSB with toxicological
results and maintains a confidential
tox database Aviation Statistical Handbook Near
Midair Collisions, Operational Errors, Pilot
Deviations, Vehicle/Pedestrian Deviations,
Surface Incident Data, Flight Assists, Accident
Data
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Bureau of Transportation StatisticsAirline
Activity Data
Scheduled Part 121 Operators report monthly Using
Form 41, T100 and T-1000f forms Scheduled Part
135 Operators report Quarterly using Form 298-C