Major NTSB investigations

13 cases where the sequence of events included Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT).

Cases per year

20082026
Major NTSB investigations per year, 2008–2026: 13 cases
20082
20102
20112
20134
20151
20162

Latest cases

Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT c.\"ntsbNumber\", c.\"eventDate\", c.\"eventType\", c.\"eventCity\", c.\"eventStateOrRegion\", a.n_number, a.\"aircraftMake\", a.\"aircraftModel\", c.\"highestInjuryLevel\", c.\"totalFatal\", c.\"completionStatus\", c.report_url
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c.\"mKey\" AND a.position = 1
  WHERE (c.board_report_url IS NOT NULL OR c.\"investigationClass\" = 'Class 1' OR c.\"caseType\" = 'Major - Launch')
    AND c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.\"tier2Number\" = '120' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE \"isDefiningEvent\"))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

NTSB ANC17MA001Accident · 3 fatalClass 1 · MajorFinal reportCessna 208B · Togiak, AKThe flight crew's decision to continue the visual flight rules flight into deteriorating visibility and their failure to perform an immediate escape maneuver after entry into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into…Oct 2, 2016 · N208SD · DestroyedNTSB DCA16MA204Accident · 16 fatalClass 1 · MajorFinal reportKubicek BB85 · Lockhart, TXThe pilot's pattern of poor decision-making that led to the initial launch, continued flight in fog and above clouds, and descent near or through clouds that decreased the pilot's ability to see and avoid obstacles. Contributing to the accident were (1) the…Jul 30, 2016 · N2469L · DestroyedNTSB ANC15MA041Accident · 9 fatalClass 1 · MajorFinal reportDehavilland DHC-3 · Ketchikan, AK(1) the pilot's decision to continue visual flight into an area of instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his geographic disorientation and controlled flight into terrain; and (2) Promech's company culture, which tacitly endorsed flying in…Jun 25, 2015 · N270PA · Substantial damageNTSB ANC14MA008Accident · 5 fatalMajor investigationFinal reportCessna 208B · Saint Marys, AKThe pilot's decision to initiate a visual flight rules approach into an area of instrument meteorological conditions at night and the flight coordinators' release of the flight without discussing the risks with the pilot, which resulted in the pilot…Nov 30, 2013 · N12373 · Substantial damageNTSB DCA13MA133Accident · 2 fatalClass 1 · MajorFinal reportAirbus A300 - F4 622R · Birmingham, ALthe flight crew's continuation of an unstabilized approach and their failure to monitor the aircraft's altitude during the approach, which led to an inadvertent descent below the minimum approach altitude and subsequently into terrain. Contributing to the…Aug 14, 2013 · N155UP · DestroyedNTSB DCA13MA120Accident · 3 fatalClass 1 · MajorFinal reportBoeing 777-200ER · San Francisco, CAThe flight crew's mismanagement of the airplane's descent during the visual approach, the pilot flying's unintended deactivation of automatic airspeed control, the flight crew's inadequate monitoring of airspeed, and the flight crew's delayed execution of a…Jul 6, 2013 · HL7742 · DestroyedNTSB ERA13MA139Accident · 5 fatalMajor investigationFinal reportBeech 390 · Thomson, GAThe pilot's failure to follow airplane flight manual procedures for an antiskid failure in flight and his failure to immediately retract the lift dump after he elected to attempt a go-around on the runway. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's lack of…Feb 21, 2013 · N777VG · DestroyedNTSB ERA12MA122Accident · 3 fatalMajor investigationFinal reportBell 206B · Green Cove Springs, FLThe pilot’s improper decision to continue visual flight into night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the pilot’s improper decision was his self-induced pressure to complete the trip.Dec 26, 2011 · N5016M · DestroyedNTSB WPR12MA046Accident · 6 fatalMajor investigationFinal reportRockwell 690 · Apache Junction, AZThe pilot's failure to maintain a safe ground track and altitude combination for the moonless night visual flight rules flight, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's complacency and lack of situational…Nov 24, 2011 · N690SM · DestroyedNTSB ANC10MA068Accident · 5 fatalClass 1 · MajorFinal reportDehavilland DHC-3 · Aleknagik, AKThe pilot's temporary unresponsiveness for reasons that could not be established from the available information. Contributing to the investigation's inability to determine exactly what occurred in the final minutes of the flight was the lack of a cockpit…Aug 9, 2010 · N455A · Substantial damageNTSB CEN10MA367Accident · 5 fatalMajor investigationFinal reportCessna 421B · Alpine, TXThe degraded performance of the airplane due to the pilot not properly setting the flaps and retracting the landing gear after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s fatigue.Jul 4, 2010 · N31AS · Substantial damageNTSB CEN09MA019Accident · 4 fatalMajor investigationFinal reportBell 222 · Aurora, ILThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the 734-foot-tall lighted tower during the visual night flight due to inadequate preflight planning, insufficient altitude, and a flight route too low to clear the tower. Contributing to the accident was the air…Oct 16, 2008 · N992AA · DestroyedNTSB MIA08MA203Accident · 4 fatalClass 1 · MajorFinal reportAerospatiale SA365N-1 D · District Heights, MDThe pilot's attempt to regain visual conditions by performing a rapid descent and his failure to arrest the descent at the minimum descent altitude during a nonprecision approach. Contributing to the accident were (1) the pilot’s limited recent instrument…Sep 28, 2008 · N92MD · Substantial damage