# Fatal NTSB investigations: Course deviation

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 ERA26LA140](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA140.md): Beech A36 · Gulf Shores, AL · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report · Mar 8, 2026 · N66519 · Destroyed
  > On March 7, 2026, about 1900 central standard time, a Beechcraft A36, N66519 was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Gulf Shores, Alabama. The pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal…
- [NTSB ERA25FA120](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25FA120.md): Rockwell 112 · Covington, GA · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report · Feb 16, 2025 · N1423J · Destroyed
  > On February 15, 2025, about 2300, a Rockwell 112, N1423J, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Covington, Georgia. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations…
- [NTSB CEN24LA144](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA144.md): Piper PA28 · Muncie, IN · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Apr 1, 2024 · N8438B · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control while maneuvering outside established instrument approach procedures in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the…
- [NTSB ERA24FA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24FA053.md): Beech C23 · Midland, VA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Dec 3, 2023 · N76SB · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s decision to descend below the minimum decision altitude of the instrument approach without having the appropriate runway visual references distinctively identified and with the visibility and ceiling below the minimum that was prescribed for the…
- [NTSB ERA23FA219](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA219.md): Cessna 182 · Reliance, TN · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · May 7, 2023 · N725AS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to continue an instrument flight into an area of forecast weather with severe to extreme turbulence associated with a line of thunderstorms, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. Contributing was the pilot’s operation of the airplane in…
- [NTSB ANC19FA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC19FA029.md): Maule M6 · Moose Pass, AK · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 29, 2019 · N56512 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's geographic disorientation and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering to avoid mountainous terrain, resulting in an aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB ANC19FA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC19FA018.md): Beech A60 · Santa Rosa, NM · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 5, 2019 · N102SN · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's loss of airplane control due to his failure to maintain appropriate control inputs and airspeed after shutting down an engine because of a progressive failure of the pressure relief valve in the fuel pump, which resulted in variable fuel pressure…
- [NTSB CEN19FA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19FA095.md): Bell 407 · Galliano, LA · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 2 · Field · Final report · Mar 10, 2019 · N577AL · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of control during cruise flight as a result of spatial disorientation while operating the helicopter in close proximity to terrain in marginal meteorological conditions.
- [NTSB CEN17LA250](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA250.md): North American T-28A · Moorhead, MN · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 2, 2017 · N9103F · Destroyed
  > Controlled descent into terrain due to engine issues, the reason for which could not be determined because examination of the engine revealed no evidence of malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
- [NTSB CEN17FA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17FA072.md): Cessna 525 · Cleveland, OH · Accident · 6 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 30, 2016 · N614SB · Destroyed
  > Controlled flight into terrain due to pilot spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was pilot fatigue, mode confusion related to the status of the autopilot, and negative learning transfer due to flight guidance panel and attitude indicator…
- [NTSB ERA17FA017](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17FA017.md): Piper PA28 · Austin, PA · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 16, 2016 · C-GYSN · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of control while maneuvering in night instrument conditions that included light-to-heavy rain with severe turbulence, updrafts and downdrafts, and hail. Contributing to the accident was the pilot experiencing spatial disorientation, his lack…
- [NTSB CEN16FA373](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16FA373.md): Cessna 182 · Ephraim, WI · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 19, 2016 · N2012F · Destroyed
  > The pilot's improper decision to execute a maneuvering approach at low altitude during night conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
- [NTSB WPR16FA158](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA158.md): Piper PA 34-200T · Flagstaff, AZ · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 3, 2016 · N82806 · Destroyed
  > A departure flight path that consisted of several unexplained turns during the initial climbout, and terminated in a high-speed descent and ground impact. The reason(s) for the turns and descent could not be determined due to lack of definitive evidence.
- [NTSB WPR16FA059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA059.md): Piper PA 24-260 · Santa Rosa, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 29, 2016 · N9362P · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during an instrument approach in night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of recent experience in night…
- [NTSB WPR15FA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15FA135.md): Piper PA32R - 301 · Townsend, MT · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 26, 2015 · C-GAUS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to depart on and to continue a visual flight rules flight over mountainous terrain into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent…
- [NTSB ERA14LA424](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA424.md): Socata TBM 700 · Caribbean Sea, A1 · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 5, 2014 · N900KN · Destroyed
  > The design of the cabin pressurization system, which made it prone to unnecessary shutdown, combined with a checklist design that prioritized troubleshooting over ensuring that the pilot was sufficiently protected from hypoxia. This resulted in a loss of…
- [NTSB WPR13FA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA080.md): Bell 206 · Delano, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 2, 2013 · N828AC · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control due to spatial disorientation while maneuvering in low visibility, dark night conditions.
- [NTSB ERA13LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA093.md): Russom Roy G Hummel H5 · Calhoun, GA · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 18, 2012 · N156FH · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s impairment or incapacitation due to the effects of medication, worsening cardiac disease, or cardiac arrhythmia, which resulted in his loss of control of the airplane.
- [NTSB CEN09FA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09FA099.md): Piper PA-32R · North Canton, OH · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 19, 2008 · N9299N · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s inappropriate control inputs as a result of spatial disorientation, which led to an aerodynamic stall and loss of control. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's decision to conduct flight into known icing conditions, ice accumulation that…
- [NTSB NYC08FA157](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08FA157.md): Cartwright H Jr/Cottrell M RV-10 · Seale, AL · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 7, 2008 · N210HM · Destroyed
  > The pilot-in-command's in-flight loss of control due to spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident were the weather conditions and the pilot-in-command's lack of flight experience in the accident airplane.

## 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" = '281' 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/281/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.
