NTSB Says ALERT Act Falls Short of Safety Goals

Agency officials cite lack of ADS-B requirement.

Zach Vasile

Friday, February 27, 2026 at 04:15 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Black Hawk helicopter over Washington [Credit: U.S. Air Force/Nicholas A. Priest]

Key Takeaways:

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) leadership cannot support the House's proposed ALERT Act, an aviation safety bill.
The NTSB's opposition stems from the bill's failure to fully implement all of its safety recommendations, particularly lacking a mandate for ADS-B In technology on all aircraft.
Both the ALERT Act and the recently failed ROTOR Act were drafted in response to a fatal mid-air collision, with NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy actively criticizing the ALERT Act for providing exemptions to critical safety technology.

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The leadership of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday that it cannot support the ALERT Act, an aviation safety bill advanced by Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In a letter addressed to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Sam Graves and Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers—both major backers of the ALERT Act—NTSB officials said the bill incorporates some but not all of the safety recommendations included in the agency’s investigation of the fatal midair collision in Washington, D.C., one year ago.