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(a) The primary function of the Board is to promote safety in transportation. The Board is responsible for the investigation, determination of facts, conditions, and circumstances and the cause or probable cause or causes of: all accidents involving civil aircraft, and certain public aircraft; highway accidents, including railroad grade-crossing accidents, the investigation of which is selected in cooperation with the States; railroad accidents in which there is a fatality, substantial property damage, or which involve a passenger train; pipeline accidents in which there is a fatality, significant injury to the environment, or substantial property damage; and major marine casualties and marine accidents involving a public and a non-public vessel or involving Coast Guard functions. The Board makes transportation safety recommendations to Federal, State, and local agencies and private organizations to reduce the likelihood of recurrences of transportation accidents. It initiates and conducts safety studies and special investigations on matters pertaining to safety in transportation, assesses techniques and methods of accident investigation, evaluates the effectiveness of transportation safety consciousness and efficacy in preventing accidents of other Government agencies, and evaluates the adequacy of safeguards and procedures concerning the transportation of hazardous materials.

(b) Upon application of affected parties, the Board reviews in quasijudicial proceedings, conducted pursuant to the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 551 et seq., denials by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administrator of applications for airman certificates and orders of the Administrator modifying, amending, suspending, or revoking certificates or imposing civil penalties. The Board also reviews on appeal the decisions of the Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, on appeals from orders of administrative law judges suspending, revoking, or denying seamen licenses, certificates, or documents.

(c) The Board, as provided in Part 801 of this chapter, issues reports and orders pursuant to its duties to determine the cause or probable cause or causes of transportation accidents and to report the facts, conditions and circumstances relating to such accidents; issues opinions and/or orders after reviewing on appeal the imposition of a civil penalty or the suspension, amendment, modification, revocation, or denial of any certificate or license issued by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation (who acts through the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration or the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard); and issues and makes available to the public safety recommendations, safety studies, and reports of special investigations.