# Abrupt maneuver

- Type: NTSB defining event
- NTSB code: 270
- CICTT category: Abrupt Maneuver
- Defining event in: 145 cases
- In the sequence of: 346 cases
- Fatal cases: 51
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270/cases.md
- Cases with it anywhere in the sequence: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270/sequence.md
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270

## Cases per year (defining / in the sequence)

- 2008: 3 / 12
- 2009: 4 / 19
- 2010: 10 / 20
- 2011: 11 / 32
- 2012: 7 / 21
- 2013: 9 / 15
- 2014: 12 / 22
- 2015: 10 / 24
- 2016: 11 / 37
- 2017: 10 / 28
- 2018: 12 / 23
- 2019: 8 / 17
- 2020: 3 / 7
- 2021: 9 / 18
- 2022: 7 / 9
- 2023: 3 / 11
- 2024: 8 / 12
- 2025: 5 / 12
- 2026: 3 / 7

## Phase of flight

- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: 17 cases
- Takeoff: 16 cases
- Initial climb: 14 cases
- Landing-landing roll: 10 cases
- Enroute-cruise: 9 cases
- Approach-VFR pattern final: 8 cases
- Maneuvering: 8 cases
- Enroute: 8 cases
- Landing-flare/touchdown: 6 cases
- Landing: 6 cases

## In the probable cause of these cases

- [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 69 cases
- [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 23 cases
- [Pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022) (Aircraft): 18 cases
- [Incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015) (Personnel issues): 15 cases
- [Angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042) (Aircraft): 14 cases
- [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 13 cases
- [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 13 cases
- [Performance/control parameters, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000) (Aircraft): 12 cases
- [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 11 cases
- [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 7 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta): 5 cases
- [Cessna 208B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208b): 3 cases
- [Robinson Helicopter R66](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r66): 2 cases
- [Robinson Helicopter R44](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44): 2 cases
- [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30): 2 cases
- [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 2 cases
- [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150): 2 cases
- [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22): 2 cases
- [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p): 2 cases
- [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 429](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-canada-429): 2 cases

## Newest cases

- [NTSB WPR26LA357](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA357), Sep 19, 2026: Cessna 182Q (N88JD), Water Valley, MS, substantial damage, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB ERA26LA211](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA211), May 15, 2026: Patsch Thorp T-18 (N2KP), Hendersonville, NC, substantial damage, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB CEN26LA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA106), Jan 28, 2026: Cessna 172 (N51204), Lafayette, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student during a stall recovery that developed into unusual attitude and exceedance of the airplane’s never exceed airspeed which resulted in…
- [NTSB ERA26FA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26FA010), Oct 12, 2025: Beech C90 (N291CC), Fort Worth, TX, destroyed, 2 fatal, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB WPR25LA246](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA246), Aug 11, 2025: Hiller UH-12E (N703WA), Fobes Hill, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s abrupt maneuver to avoid a powerline during an aerial application flight, which resulted in the helicopter’s impact with terrain.
- [NTSB DCA25LA230](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25LA230), Jun 8, 2025: Boeing 737 (N27266), Phoenix, AZ, no damage. Probable cause: The abrupt application of brakes during taxi, which resulted in a sudden stop and caused a flight attendant to sustain a serious injury.
- [NTSB CEN25FA148](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25FA148), Apr 8, 2025: Anusiewicz Cassutt III M (N5RR), Haskell, OK, substantial damage, 1 fatal, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB ERA25LA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA167), Apr 6, 2025: Hiller UH12E (N48263), Rockledge, FL, substantial damage, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB WPR24FA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA309), Sep 22, 2024: Nanchang China CJ-6A (N313YK), Lancaster, CA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The CJ-6A pilot’s failure to maintain separation and the Yak pilot’s failure to monitor the other airplane during a detachment, which resulted in a midair collision.
- [NTSB WPR24LA305](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA305), Sep 8, 2024: Mooney M20F (N9628M), Cottonwood, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s evasive maneuver to avoid birds while on final approach at a low altitude, which resulted in the airplane colliding with a tree.

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted.

Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1).

NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names.

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