Title 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and (b) exempt certain records from public disclosure. Examples of records given in this subpart included within a particular statutory exemption are not necessarily illustrative of all types of records covered by the applicable exemption.

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(1), national defense and foreign policy secrets established by Executive Order, as well as properly classified documents, are exempt from public disclosure. Requests to the NTSB for such records will be transferred to the source agency as appropriate, where such classified records are identified. (See, e.g., Executive Order 12,958, as amended on March 25, 2003.)

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(2), the following records are exempt from disclosure under FOIA: Records relating solely to internal personnel rules and practices, including memoranda pertaining to personnel matters such as staffing policies, and procedures for the hiring, training, promotion, demotion, or discharge of employees, and management plans, records, or proposals relating to labor-management relations.

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(3), the NTSB will not disclose records specifically exempted from disclosure by statute (other than 5 U.S.C. 552(b)), provided that such statute:

(a)(1) Requires that the matters be withheld from the public in such manner as to leave no discretion on the issue, or

(2) Establishes particular criteria for withholding or refers to particular types of matters to be withheld; and

(b) If enacted after the date of enactment of the Open FOIA Act of 2009, Public Law 111-83, Title V, section 564, 123 Stat. 2142, Oct. 28, 2009, specifically cites to 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(3).

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4), trade secrets and items containing commercial or financial information that are obtained from a person and are privileged or confidential are exempt from public disclosure.

(a) Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(5), any record prepared by an NTSB employee for internal Government use is exempt from public disclosure to the extent that it contains—

(1) Opinions made in the course of developing official action by the NTSB but not actually made a part of that official action, or

(2) Information concerning any pending NTSB proceeding, or similar matter, including any claim or other dispute to be resolved before a court of law, administrative board, hearing officer, or contracting officer.

(b) The purpose of this section is to protect the full and frank exchange of ideas, views, and opinions necessary for the effective functioning of the NTSB. These resources must be fully and readily available to those officials upon whom the responsibility rests to take official NTSB action. Its purpose is also to protect against the premature disclosure of material that is in the developmental stage, if premature disclosure would be detrimental to the authorized and appropriate purposes for which the material is being used, or if, because of its tentative nature, the material is likely to be revised or modified before it is officially presented to the public.

(c) Examples of materials covered by this section include, but are not limited to, staff papers containing advice, opinions, or suggestions preliminary to a decision or action; preliminary notes; advance information on such things as proposed plans to procure, lease, or otherwise hire and dispose of materials, real estate, or facilities; documents exchanged in preparation for anticipated legal proceedings; material intended for public release at a specified future time, if premature disclosure would be detrimental to orderly processes of the NTSB; records of inspections, investigations, and surveys pertaining to internal management of the NTSB; and matters that would not be routinely disclosed in litigation but which are likely to be the subject of litigation.

(d) The deliberative process privilege does not apply to records created 25 years or more before the date on which the records were requested.

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(6), any personal, medical, or similar file is exempt from public disclosure if its disclosure would harm the individual concerned or would be a clearly unwarranted invasion of the person's personal privacy.

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(7), any records compiled for law or regulatory enforcement are exempt from public disclosure to the extent that disclosure would interfere with enforcement, would be an unwarranted invasion of privacy, would disclose the identity of a confidential source, would disclose investigative procedures and practices, or would endanger the life or security of law enforcement personnel.

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(8), records compiled for agencies regulating or supervising financial institutions are exempt from public disclosure.

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(9), records concerning geological wells are exempt from public disclosure.