NTSB Issues Safety Recommendation to FAA Regarding Air Cargo Restraint Procedures

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued safety recommendation A-15-013, identified by report number DCA13MA081, addressed directly to the Federal Aviation Administration. This directive focuses on revising the guidance material found in Advisory Circular 120-85, titled Air Cargo Operations. Specifically, the NTSB urges the FAA to amend chapter 201(a)(4) of this circular. The proposed revision would specify that an operator must seek Federal Aviation Administration-approved data for any planned method used to restrain a special cargo load when approved procedures do not already exist for that specific situation. Furthermore, the recommendation calls for the removal of existing language within the Advisory Circular that currently permits the use of procedures other than those based on FAA-approved data. This action aims to ensure that all methods for restraining special cargo loads rely on validated and approved technical standards rather than unverified operational practices.