The Role of the NTSB in Aviation Icing Accident Investigations

Icing is one of the primary meteorological factors the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) considers when investigating a weather-related aviation accident. Since the late 1960s, the Safety Board has maintained a database that includes aviation accidents in which icing is noted as a cause or factor. Utilizing the database, this paper examines the occurrence of aviation accidents associated with icing conditions over a 19-year period (1982-2000). Selected meteorological investigations where icing possibly contributed to the accident are also reviewed. A synopsis of the board's history in investigating icing accidents is provided, along with a discussion of various Safety Board recommendations promulgated as a result of icing investigations. Details of the Safety Board's involvement in icing investigations are described, with an emphasis on the activities of the board meteorologists and the essential role of government and non-government researchers.