NTSB Launches New Data Search Tool, Case Analysis and Reporting Online (CAROL) Provides Access to Investigations, Safety Recommendations and Dockets

From the National Transportation Safety Board:

The National Transportation Safety Board announced Tuesday the successful launch of its new public-facing database query system for NTSB investigations, safety recommendations and dockets across all of the NTSB’s investigative modes.

The new query system, Case Analysis and Reporting Online – or CAROL – not only helps users more easily access NTSB data, but it also changes the way the NTSB shares its information with other agencies.

Previously, there were three distinct and separate query systems customers could use to access NTSB data; the docket query system, the aviation database query system, and the NTSB safety recommendations query system. That meant there was no way to submit queries for investigative details or for findings in non-aviation investigations.

CAROL allows users to conduct queries for all modes (rail, pipeline, hazardous materials, marine, highway and aviation) and to move seamlessly through the information. CAROL allows users to quickly find data to questions like, “to what degree are safety management systems, or impairment, or fatigue a factor in NTSB-investigated accidents across all modes of transportation?”

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CAROL’s three search options are keyword search, basic search and query builder. The keyword search allows users to search one value from one of six fields, while basic search allows users to search any of seven available fields. The query builder allows users to select from a variety of investigative and safety recommendation fields. The NTSB will also publish queries that address particular topics such as safety recommendations associated with the NTSB’s Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements.

All of the more than 15,000 safety recommendations the NTSB has issued since its inception in 1967 are available in CAROL. Investigative data from rail, pipeline, hazardous materials, highway and marine is currently being migrated into CAROL and will continue in the coming months.

In aviation, all of the investigations since 2008 are also available with the exception of investigations involving multiple aircraft. These had previously been written up as two accident reports, one for each aircraft involved, each referencing the other report.

Analysts are in the process of combining each of the 350 accident reports that were generated from 175 investigations involving multiple aircraft since 2008, into single documents containing both reports. Although these newly combined reports are not currently available, they will again be accessible as soon as the work is completed, which is expected by the end of October.

Direct to CAROL Data Search Tool

Learn More, Read the Complete Announcement

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