Opinion and Orders Help
To search the NTSB Opinions and Orders Data Base, enter your selection criteria
into one or more of the boxes on the search form. Some boxes contain a list of choices
from which you may select. For other boxes, you must enter the string of characters
by which the data base is to be searched (including any spaces that you type). You
may use either upper or lower case-case is ignored. Use your mouse or [TAB] key
to move from box to box. To be selected, a record must meet all of the criteria
you have entered.
You may control the display format of selected records using the display options:
- how the records are sorted and the order in which records will be displayed (ascending
or descending), and
- how many records to display at a time (5, 10, 25, 50, or 100).
Select the display options you want to use and click on the [Submit] button. When
the search is completed, you will see the number of records that were found and
the beginning of the results table. You may move around within the table using the
buttons near the bottom of the screen.
NOTE:The fewer records your search returns, the faster it will run. For instance,
if you know the Order you are searching for is dated in 1996, then narrow the dates
to that year instead of using the default which runs from 1971 to the current date.
Your response time will be greatly increased.
Basic information about the selected records will be displayed in groups of the
size you selected. The left-most column of the table or list will contain the Order
Number and if the full text is available it will be a link to the full text of the
case. The full text version is in PDF format.
Acceptable Wildcards
The query form accepts 2 types of wildcards, "*" and "_".
The "*", that means any text of any length can go in that spot.
- Example: Entering "cat*" would return "cat", "cats", "catastrophe", "revocation",
etc..
The "_" means that it will find any text but but the length must match the number
of "_"s.
- Example: Entering "b_t" would return "bat", "bet" and "bit" but not "beat".
To make searching easier for the average user a "*" has been added to the begining
and end of every field that accepts wildcards. This should not complicate advanced
searches as long as this information is known.
There are several links at the end of each synopsis for navigation within the NTSB
web site.
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Order Number
This refers to the Enforcement Action number that is unique to a particular case.
In a decision that is served on a party, this number will include alpha and numeric
characters (i.e., EA-1234). For purposes of searching this index, enter only the
numeric characters (i.e.,
1234). In this field you can search for a particular
case by its exact Order number. No wildcards are permitted in this field.
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Date Range
Use the date range to limit the search to the time period between two dates. Several
formats are acceptable, including mm/dd/yy. To limit the search to one specific
date, enter that date either in the first box or in both boxes. No wildcards are
permitted in this field.
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FARs Charged
This refers to the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) that the individual was charged
with violating. If an Opinion and Order cites one or more FAR, you will be able
to search for the case.
Wildcards are accepted. Example:
Entering
93.1 will return all records which include 93.1 anywhere in the
string and you will also return things like 93.1(a) or 193.1. To limit the search
to just 93.1 put a ";" after the FAR, like
93.1; now the search will only
return records for FAR 93.1.
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Other References
This refers to other citations found in the Opinion and Order, including citations
to FAR not charged, the Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs), other Enforcement Action
case numbers, and other statutes. The format of your search for a CFR citation would
be, for example,
49 CFR 821.47. For a particular enforcement action, the
format would be
EA XXXX. For an FAA Order, your query would be
FAA order 2150.30.
For citation to an FAR other than one charged, you would enter the FAR number; for
example,
93.1. Like the
Applicable FAR's above, each reference is
ended with a ";", so to get exactly the reference you are searching for and nothing
more add a ";" to the end of the reference string.
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Sanction
This refers to the sanction proposed and imposed and at issue in the airman, mechanic
or mariners appeal. Enter a description of the sanction to search for cases involving
that issue. For example, if the issue is emergency revocation of a certificate,
the query would be:
emergency revocation. The information concerning sanctions
is displayed as follows: "proposed/ALJ ruling/NTSB final.
Wildcards are accepted.
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Words & Phrases
This refers to circumstances and subjects unique to a particular case that are listed,
cited or discussed in a particular Opinion & Order. Examples of Words
& Phrases found in Opinions & Orders include:
passenger-carrying flight; altitude deviation; Part 121 flight; clearance, misunderstanding
of; damage to helicopter and other aircraft; separation between aircraft; intentionally
false statement; gear-up landing, commercial pilot certificate; flight instructor
certificate; accident; fuel exhaustion; preponderance of evidence; burden of proof;
damage to property on ground; destruction of aircraft; fatal injury; instruction
flight; credibility; take off with inadequate fuel; carelessness; or reconsideration.
This search capability does NOT permit an unlimited search for any word or phrase
within the actual text of every Opinion & Order contained in the database.
Rather, the search occurs within a predetermined index in which the Words &
Phrases relevant to each case are listed. The Words & Phrases are broad
and are not intended to be exhaustive; however, particular words and phrases are
repeated in the index for other cases in which they are relevant.
Wildcards are accepted.
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Individuals Named
This refers to the individual or individuals that have appealed the action that
is the subject of the Opinion & Order. You may search for one individual or
all of the individuals listed in the title of the case.
Wildcards
are accepted.
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Corporations Named
This refers to a corporation or corporations that have been the subject of an action
and that have appealed the action. You may search for specific corporations.
Wildcards are accepted.
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