When the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was established in 1967, it was considered an independent federal agency. However, NTSB's administrative support and funding were funneled through the Department of Transportation (DOT). Over time, the need for a totally separate, nonreliant agency was recognized, and the 1975 Independent Safety Board Act severed all DOT ties.

Congress charges NTSB with investigating every U.S. civil aviation accident, as well as significant railroad, highway, marine, and pipeline accidents. NTSB, based on investigation findings, then issues safety recommendations in an effort to prevent future accidents.

NTSB's different from other agencies in that it has no official enforcement or regulatory powers, it is a totally independent agency, and its specially trained staff conduct investigations and determine probable cause. Its investigations are broad, looking more for the big picture, rather than attempting to focus on a specific detail or...