Commercial Pilot License (CPL) Practice Exam 2026 - Free Commercial Pilot License Practice Questions and Study Guide

Accident or incident reports should be filed with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) field office. The NTSB is the federal agency responsible for investigating civil transportation accidents, including aviation incidents. They analyze the data collected from these incidents to determine causes and improve safety within the aviation industry.

Reports filed with the NTSB contribute to a comprehensive understanding of aviation safety issues and help in the formulation of recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents. This process also ensures that all relevant data is centralized and can be accessed for further research, legal considerations, and policy formulation.

Filing reports with other entities, such as the local airport authority, while essential for certain operational or jurisdictional purposes, does not satisfy the federal requirement to report significant aviation accidents or incidents to the NTSB. Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) focuses more on regulatory compliance and safety oversight rather than accident investigation itself. Similarly, state aviation offices may handle specific state-level aviation matters but do not have the jurisdiction or capability to investigate national-level aviation accidents. Thus, referring incidents to the NTSB is crucial for proper investigation and analysis in line with federal requirements.