49 C.F.R. § 821.24 : Transportation — OTHER REGULATIONS RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION — NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD — RULES OF PRACTICE IN AIR SAFETY PROCEEDINGS — SPECIAL RULES APPLICABLE TO PROCEEDINGS UNDER 49 U.S.C. 44703 — Initiation of proceeding

(a) Petition for review. Where the Administrator has denied an application for the issuance or renewal of an airman certificate, the applicant may file with the Board a petition for review of the Administrator's denial. The petition must be filed with the Board within 60 days after the date on which notice of the Administrator's denial was served on the petitioner.
(b) Form and content of petition. The petition may be in letter form. It shall identify the Administrator's certificate denial action, and contain a complete but concise statement of the reasons why the petitioner believes the certificate denial was erroneous.
(c) Answer to petition. The Administrator shall file an answer to the petition for review within 20 days after the date of service of the petition. The answer shall specifically address each of the reasons set forth in the petition as to why the petitioner believes the certificate denial was erroneous.
(d) Stay of proceeding pending request for special issuance (restricted) medical certificate. The Board lacks the authority to review requests for special issuance (restricted) medical certificates, or to direct that they be issued. Where a request for a special issuance certificate has been filed with the Administrator pursuant to the Federal Aviation Regulations, the Board will, upon the petitioner's written request, hold a petition for review of a denial of an unrestricted medical certificate in abeyance pending final action by the Administrator on the special issuance request, but for no longer than 180 days after the date on which the unrestricted medical certificate denial was issued.
(e) New evidence. Where review of a denial of an unrestricted medical certificate is at issue, if the petitioner has undergone medical testing or evaluation in addition to that already submitted or known to the Administrator, and wishes to introduce the results into the record, such new medical evidence must be served on the Administrator at least 30 days prior to the hearing. Absent good cause, failure to so timely serve the new medical evidence on the Administrator will result in the exclusion of such evidence from the record. The Administrator may amend his or her answer to respond to such new medical evidence within 10 days after the date on which he or she was served therewith.

49 C.F.R. § 821.24