No pilot wants to have an accident or incident, but now the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is trying to make it a little easier to submit the required data with the creation of a secure online portal.
In ground school pilots learn about 49 CFR Part 830, which defines an aircraft accident versus an incident, and spells out the notification and reporting of accidents and incidents and overdue aircraft, and preservation of aircraft wreckage, mail, cargo, and records.
