# Fatal NTSB investigations: Emergency descent initiated

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB GAA25WA070](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA25WA070.md): Cessna 182 · Región del Bio Bio, Chile · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Foreign · Jan 26, 2025 · CC-KKM · Substantial damage
- [NTSB GAA20WA125](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20WA125.md): Cessna R172 · Tarapaca-Amazonas, Colombia · Accident · 1 fatal · Foreign investigation · Jul 30, 2020 · HK2129 · Destroyed
- [NTSB WPR17FA179](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17FA179.md): Michaelian Lancair IV-TP · Rio Linda, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 3, 2017 · N420M · Substantial damage
  > A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.
- [NTSB CEN17FA071](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17FA071.md): Columbia Aircraft Mfg LC41 550FG · Gurdon, AR · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 5, 2017 · N972JK · Destroyed
  > The loss of control in flight for reasons that could not be determined because of the severe impact and postcrash fire damage to the airplane and the lack of information about the airplane emergency that the pilot was experiencing.
- [NTSB WPR16FA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA153.md): Piper PA-31T · McKinleyville, CA · Accident · 4 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 29, 2016 · N661TC · Destroyed
  > An inflight fire in the floor area near the main bus tie circuit breaker panel that resulted from chafing between an electrical wire and a hydraulic line and/or airplane structure.
- [NTSB WPR16FA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA072.md): Bell 206B · Honolulu, HI · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 18, 2016 · N80918 · Substantial damage
  > The in-flight failure of the engine-to-transmission drive shaft due to improper maintenance, which resulted in low main rotor rpm and a subsequent hard landing to water.
- [NTSB CEN12FA290](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA290.md): Cessna 401 · Chanute, KS · Accident · 4 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 11, 2012 · N9DM · Substantial damage
  > The malfunction of the cabin heater, which resulted in an inflight fire and smoke in the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of understanding concerning the status of the airplane's heater system following and earlier overheat event…

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
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."highestInjuryLevel" = 'Fatal'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '130' 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
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/130/sequence?fatal=1

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OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
