"NTSB investigations depend heavily upon technical input from the accident parties," said Acting Chairman Christopher A. Hart. "If one party disseminates information about the accident, it may reflect that party's bias. This puts the other parties at a disadvantage and makes them less willing to engage in the process, which can undercut the entire investigation."

Without first consulting with the NTSB, the IPA issued a press release on August 13 providing its own analysis of the accident, "UPS Pilots Call for End of Part 117 Carve-Out on Anniversary of Fatigue Crash," which is explicitly prohibited in the party agreement. UPS, also without first consulting with the NTSB, posted comments on a website responding to the IPA press release in which it also provided its own analysis. "It doesn't matter who started it," said Hart. "Neither action is acceptable."

For more than 40 years, the NTSB has had the sole responsibility for disseminating aviation accident investigation-related information from the time of the accident's occurrence all the way through to the end of its investigation. This practice was put in place in order to prevent any party member from unfairly influencing the public perception of the investigative findings.