The National Transportation Safety Board recommends that the Federal
Aviation Administration:
Require that all operators of airplanes equipped with a cockpit voice
recorder
(CVR) revise their procedures to stipulate that the CVR be deactivated
(either
manually or by automatic means) immediately upon completion of the flight,
as
part of an approved aircraft checklist procedure, after a reportable
incident/accident has occurred. These procedures must also ensure that the
recording remains preserved regardless of any subsequent operation of the
aircraft
or its systems. Any doubt as to whether or not the occurrence requires
notification
of the National Transportation Safety Board must be resolved after the steps
have
been taken to preserve the recording. (A-02-24)
Require that all operators of airplanes equipped with a cockpit voice
recorder
(CVR) test the functionality of the CVR system prior to the first flight of
each
day, as part of an approved aircraft checklist. This test must be conducted
according to procedures provided by the CVR manufacturer and shall include,
at a
minimum, listening to the recorded signals on each channel to verify that
the
audio is being recorded properly, is intelligible, and is free from
electrical noise or
other interference. (A-02-25)

http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/2002/A02_24_25.pdf
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