This part prescribes the joint regulations of the National Transportation Safety Board and the Coast Guard for the investigation of marine casualties.

(a) The Coast Guard's responsibility to investigate marine casualties is not eliminated nor diminished by the regulations in this part.

(b) In those instances where the Board conducts an investigation in which the Coast Guard also has responsibility under R.S. 4450 (46 U.S.C. 239), the proceedings are conducted independently, but so as to avoid duplication as much as possible.

As used in this part:

(a) Act means Title III of Pub. L. 93-633, the Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 (49 U.S.C. 1901, et seq.).

(b) Board means the National Transportation Safety Board.

(c) Chairman means the Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.

(d) Commandant means the Commandant of the Coast Guard.

(e) Major marine casualty means a casualty involving a vessel, other than a public vessel, that results in—

(1) The loss of six or more lives;

(2) The loss of a mechanically propelled vessel of 100 or more gross tons;

(3) Property damage initially estimated as $500,000 or more; or

(4) Serious threat, as determined by the Commandant and concurred in by the Chairman, to life, property, or the environment by hazardous materials.

(f) Public vessel means a vessel owned by the United States, except a vessel to which the Act of October 25, 1919, c. 82 (41 Stat. 305, 46 U.S.C. 363) applies.

(g) Vessel of the United States means a vessel—

(1) Documented, or required to be documented, under the laws of the United States;

(2) Owned in the United States; or

(3) Owned by a citizen or resident of the United States and not registered under a foreign flag.

(a) The Coast Guard conducts the preliminary investigation of marine casualties.

(b) The Commandant determines from the preliminary investigation whether:

(1) The casualty is a major marine casualty; or

(2) The casualty involves a public and a nonpublic vessel and at least one fatality or $75,000 in property damage; or

(3) The casualty involves a Coast Guard and a nonpublic vessel and at least one fatality or $75,000 in property damage; or

(4) The casualty is a major marine casualty which involves significant safety issues relating to Coast Guard safety functions, e.g., search and rescue, aids to navigation, vessel traffic systems, commercial vessel safety, etc.

(c) The Commandant notifies the Board of a casualty described in paragraph (b) of this section.

(a) The Board may conduct an investigation under the Act of any major marine casualty or any casualty involving public and nonpublic vessels. Where the Board determines it will convene a hearing in connection with such an investigation, the Board's rules of practice for transportation accident hearings in 49 CFR part 845 shall apply.

(b) The Board shall conduct an investigation under the Act when:

(1) The casualty involves a Coast Guard and a nonpublic vessel and at least one fatality or $75,000 in property damage; or

(2) The Commandant and the Board agree that the Board shall conduct the investigation, and the casualty involves a public and a nonpublic vessel and at least one fatality or $75,000 in property damage; or

(3) The Commandant and the Board agree that the Board shall conduct the investigation, and the casualty is a major marine casualty which involves significant safety issues relating to Coast Guard safety functions.

After an investigation conducted by the Board under § 850.15, the Board determines cause or probable cause and issues a report of that determination.

(a) If the Board does not conduct an investigation under § 850.15(a), (b)(2) or (3), the Coast Guard, at the request of the Board, may conduct an investigation under the Act unless there is an allegation of Federal Government misfeasance or nonfeasance.

(b) The Board will request the Coast Guard to conduct an investigation under paragraph (a) of this section within 48 hours of receiving notice under § 850.10(c).

(c) The Coast Guard will advise the Board within 24 hours of receipt of a request under paragraph (b) of this section whether the Coast Guard will conduct an investigation under the Act.

(a) The Coast Guard conducts an investigation under § 850.25 using the procedures in 46 CFR 4.01-1 through 4.23-1.

(b) The Board may designate a person or persons to participate in every phase of an investigation, including on-scene investigation, that is conducted under the provisions of § 850.25.

(c) Consistent with Coast Guard responsibility to direct the course of the investigation, the person or persons designated by the Board under paragraph (b) of this section may:

(1) Make recommendations about the scope of the investigation.

(2) Call and examine witnesses.

(3) Submit or request additional evidence.

(d) The Commandant provides a record of the proceedings to the Board of an investigation of a major marine casualty under paragraph (a) of this section.

(e) The Board, under the Act, makes its determination of the facts, conditions, and circumstances, and the cause or probable cause of a major marine casualty, using the record of the proceedings provided by the Commandant under paragraph (d) of this section and any additional evidence the Board may acquire under its own authority.

(f) An investigation by the Coast Guard under this section is both an investigation under the Act and under R.S. 4450 (46 U.S.C. 239).

(a) Records of the Coast Guard made under § 850.30 are available to the public under 49 CFR part 7.

(b) Records of the Board made under §§ 850.20 and 850.30 are available to the public under 49 CFR part 801.