Who handles aviation mishaps?

• A. NTSB
• B. FAA Safety Team
• C. Air National Guard
• D. CG-1131

Answer: (D)

The entity that handles aviation mishaps is the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB is the independent federal agency charged with investigating civil aviation accidents and serious incidents to determine probable cause and to issue safety recommendations aimed at preventing recurrence. Their role is to uncover what happened and why, not to assign blame, and they coordinate with the FAA and other agencies as needed.

The other options aren’t the primary investigators in most aviation mishap cases. The FAA Safety Team focuses on safety education and outreach rather than investigations. The Air National Guard would handle incidents involving its own aircraft and operations, not civilian aviation mishaps in general. CG-1131 represents Coast Guard investigations related to Coast Guard assets; for civilian aviation mishaps, the NTSB is the usual lead investigative body.