# NTSB investigations, VA: Flight control sys malf/fail

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 ERA25FA185](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25FA185.md): MX Aircraft Tech PTY MXS · Hampton, VA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Apr 24, 2025 · N530RH · Substantial damage
  > A counterweight plug that loosened during the accident flight, jammed the elevator, and resulted in loss of control during landing.
- [NTSB ENG25LA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG25LA009.md): Bombardier CL-600-2C11 · Dulles, VA · Incident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Nov 20, 2024 · N501GJ · No damage
  > The elevator control restriction was caused by the failure of the elevator autopilot servo control cable, which failed due to cyclic fatigue. The slack in the broken cable wrapped around the elevator autopilot servo mount in such a way that it was bound…
- [NTSB ERA21LA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA106.md): American AA5 · Leesburg, VA · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jan 19, 2021 · N5880L · Substantial damage
  > The weakened structure of the left horizontal stabilizer, which resulted in elevator flutter and subsequent partial separation of the left elevator in flight. Contributing to the accident were the lack of elevator authority while landing due to the damaged…
- [NTSB ERA20LA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA080.md): Team Rocket F-1 F-1 · Suffolk, VA · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Dec 24, 2019 · N230BW · Substantial damage
  > A structural failure of the horizontal stabilizer during aerobatic maneuvers near the airplane’s never-exceed speed. Contributing to the failure was the construction of the horizontal stabilizer that did not meet the kit manufacturer’s specifications.
- [NTSB DCA19LA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA19LA154.md): Aurora PAV · Manassas, VA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 4, 2019 · N83AU · Substantial damage
  > a loss of hover lift thrust provided by the eight lift motors due to a false on-ground rotor speed reduction command, resulting from excessive vibration.
- [NTSB ERA16LA322](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA322.md): Aero Vodochody L 39 · Norfolk, VA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 23, 2016 · N139AJ · Substantial damage
  > An uncommanded flap retraction for reasons that could not be determined, as a postaccident examination of the flap system did not reveal evidence of any preaccident anomalies.
- [NTSB ERA13IA396](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13IA396.md): Piper PA-28RT-201 · Chesapeake, VA · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Aug 31, 2013 · N2091W · No damage
  > Maintenance personnel’s inadequate inspection and compliance with a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directive, which resulted in an undetected corroded and cracked stabilator turnbuckle and the subsequent failure of the turnbuckle and loss of…
- [NTSB ERA12IA237](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12IA237.md): Piper PA-32R-300 · Warrenton, VA · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Mar 14, 2012 · N1358H · No damage
  > Maintenance personnel's failure to identify stress corrosion cracking in the stabilator control cable during the most recent inspection, and the subsequent failure of the cable on the flight after the inspection.
- [NTSB ERA11IA184](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11IA184.md): Cessna 560XL · Haynesville, VA · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Mar 10, 2011 · N588QS · No damage
  > The manufacturer's inadequate design fix for previously known tailcone stinger water ingestion and retention.
- [NTSB ERA10FA195](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10FA195.md): Piper PA46 · Roanoke, VA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 30, 2010 · N6913Z · Destroyed
  > A malfunction of the flight controls for undetermined reasons.
- [NTSB NYC08LA318](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08LA318.md): Hiller UH-12E · Naruna, VA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 16, 2008 · N3324F · Substantial damage
  > The fatigue failure of a main rotor blade drag strut.

## 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."eventStateOrRegion" = 'VA' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '333' 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/333/sequence?state=VA

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