NBAA Pledges to Respond to NTSB Recommendation from 2014 Gulfstream Accident Investigation

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today said it stands ready to deliver on a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendation directed at the Association as part of the board’s investigation of a fatal runway overrun accident last year. The accident involved a Gulfstream IV that crashed following a rejected takeoff with the gust lock engaged at Hanscom Field (BED) in Bedford, MA on May 31, 2014.

One of the five recommendations issued by the NTSB calls for NBAA to work with business aviation flight operational quality assurance groups to analyze existing data for compliance with manufacturer-required routine flight-control checks before takeoff, and provide the results of this analysis to NBAA Members as part of the Association’s data-driven safety agenda for business aviation.

“NBAA appreciates the NTSB’s diligent investigation of this accident, and its recognition of NBAA’s ability to assess and address the hazards of procedural non-compliance within the business aviation community,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “NBAA joins the NTSB in extending our condolences to the loved ones of the seven people who perished in this accident.”

Safety has always been the top priority of NBAA. In the nearly 70 years that the NBAA has been in existence, the Association has been addressed in 10 NTSB recommendations, all of which were closed acceptably by the board.

“Procedural compliance with checklists, standard operating procedures, regulations and company policies is critical to aviation safety,” Bolen concluded.