Editorial: Regulators experience turbulence

According to a story in the Times on Wednesday, RAND's analysts found:

* The complexity of airplanes and air traffic control increases significantly every year, but the agency doesn't have the funds needed to adequately train its investigators so they can stay knowledgeable about these innovations. The report notes that 40 percent of the investigators have not received any training. Pay and overtime also are insufficient. And many investigators soon will be eligible for retirement, which could result in a brain-drain and further jeopardize the agency's effectiveness.

* NTSB investigations allow those who have specific expertise -- such as the airline and the airline's manufacturer -- to assist in a probe. The lack of experts at the NTSB is a problem but, as a RAND analyst pointed out, there is an inherent conflict when parties with a vested interest are involved in the investigation. There could be an incentive for an airline manufacturer's expert, for instance, to minimize any responsibility by the plane's maker.

The RAND analysts concluded the agency needs to add more experts to its staff. In the event that it can't hire such experts, RAND believes that any outside experts should not be affiliated with those involved in the accident. For example, expertise could be drawn from NASA, national laboratories or even universities. Along with more investigators, the need for more training will cost more money.

To its credit, the NTSB has not hurried its investigations -- even when there has been public pressure to finish a probe. But the inability to close these investigations in a timely way is not tolerable, either. Failure to determine promptly what caused an accident can result in another tragedy occurring involving that same defect.

NTSB officials want an extra $73 million in funding for the next fiscal year to cover additional overtime and training costs to finish these investigations more quickly. Lengthy probes, such as the four-year investigation of USAir 427 and the existing two-year-old inquiry of TWA 800, are commonplace. An NTSB official said the funding boost could enable the board to once again finish its investigations within 12 to 18 months.

It is critical that the NTSB have the ability to do its job expeditiously. Congress should increase the NTSB's budget so that it has all the resources it needs to investigate this nation's air disasters. To do anything less will erode public confidence in U.S. airline safety.

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