# NTSB investigations: Flight instrument 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.

Page 1 of 2 · 56 cases

## Latest cases

- [NTSB WPR25LA226](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA226.md): Cessna 182L · Tucson Estates, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 27, 2025 · N42725 · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s inability to stop the airplane on the runway during a rejected takeoff for undetermined reasons, which resulted in the airplane’s impact with a ditch.
- [NTSB ENG25WA042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG25WA042.md): Airbus A320 · Katunayake, Sri Lanka · Incident · No injuries · Class 5 · Foreign · Jun 4, 2025 · 4R-ABM · No damage
- [NTSB WPR25LA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA107.md): Cessna T207A · Tusayan, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Feb 7, 2025 · N9317M · Substantial damage
  > An encounter with wind gusts, which resulted in a loss of control and a collapse of the nose landing gear.
- [NTSB ENG26WA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG26WA015.md): Cessna 525 · Ubatuba, Brazil · Accident · Class 5 · Foreign · Jan 9, 2025 · PR-GFS
- [NTSB ENG25WA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG25WA008.md): Pilatus PC12 · Geneva, Switzerland · Incident · No injuries · Class 5 · Foreign · Nov 3, 2024 · 9H-EHA · No damage
- [NTSB ENG24WA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG24WA021.md): Beech C90 · Kalgoorlie, Australia · Incident · Class 5 · Foreign · Jan 25, 2024 · VH-JEO · No damage
- [NTSB ERA24LA007](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA007.md): Cirrus SR22 · Martinsville, VA · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Oct 12, 2023 · N253BC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain a positive climb rate after takeoff while distracted by primary flight display anomaly and terrain alerts. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to take off with the airplane over its maximum gross weight, which…
- [NTSB DCA23WA373](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA23WA373.md): Embraer ERJ190 · Vargas, Venezuela · Incident · No injuries · Class 5 · Foreign · May 22, 2023 · YV-2953 · No damage
- [NTSB ERA23LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA135.md): Bombardier BD-100-1A10 · Windsor Locks, CT · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 2 · Limited · Final report · Mar 3, 2023 · N300ER · Minor damage
  > The flight crew’s failure to remove the right side pitot probe cover before flight, their decision to depart with a No-Go advisory message following an aborted takeoff, and their selection of the incorrect non-normal checklist in flight, which resulted in an…
- [NTSB ANC23FA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23FA008.md): Raytheon C90A · Kaupo, HI · Accident · 3 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Dec 15, 2022 · N13GZ · Substantial damage
  > Guardian Flight’s inadequate pilot training and performance tracking, which failed to identify and correct the pilot’s consistent lack of skill, and which resulted in the pilot’s inability to maintain his position inflight using secondary instruments to…
- [NTSB DCA23WA187](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA23WA187.md): Boeing 737 · Perth, Australia · Incident · Class 5 · Foreign · Jun 10, 2022 · ZK-TLJ · No damage
- [NTSB DCA22WA117](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA22WA117.md): Boeing 737 · Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia · Incident · Class 5 · Foreign · Apr 3, 2022 · 9MMLS · No damage
- [NTSB DCA22WA071](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA22WA071.md): Boeing 737 · Barcelona, Venezuela · Incident · No injuries · Class 5 · Foreign · Jan 15, 2022 · YV2794 · No damage
- [NTSB DCA21WA220](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA21WA220.md): Embraer ERJ190 · Marquetia, Venezuela · Incident · Class 5 · Foreign · Aug 30, 2021 · YV2944 · No damage
- [NTSB CEN21LA232](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA232.md): Cirrus Design SR22 · Whitewater, WI · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · May 16, 2021 · N4144B · Substantial damage
  > An inflight instrument malfunction for reasons that could not be determined based on available information, which led to the pilot’s decision to activate the airframe parachute system.
- [NTSB DCA21WA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA21WA139.md): Boeing 737 · Rotterdam, Netherlands · Incident · No injuries · Class 5 · Foreign · Apr 24, 2021 · PH-XRX · No damage
- [NTSB DCA21WA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA21WA006.md): Boeing 777 · Guiuan, Eastern Samar, Philippines · Incident · Class 5 · Foreign · Oct 10, 2020 · D-ALFG · No damage
- [NTSB DCA21WA004](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA21WA004.md): Boeing 787-800 · Amsterdam, Netherlands · Incident · No injuries · Class 4 · Foreign · Oct 3, 2020 · OO-JAV
- [NTSB ENG20WA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG20WA041.md): Airbus A321 · Doncaster, United Kingdom · Incident · No injuries · Foreign investigation · Jun 16, 2020 · G-WUKJ · No damage
  > The United Kingdom Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has notified the NTSB of an incident which occurred on June 16, 2020. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the AAIB investigation under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13…
- [NTSB ERA20FA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20FA021.md): Piper PA28R · Atlanta, GA · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Oct 30, 2019 · N56258 · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of control due to spatial disorientation while flying in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the vacuum pump and its associated instruments.
- [NTSB DCA19WA218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA19WA218.md): Boeing 767 · Jeddah, Saudi Arabia · Incident · No injuries · Foreign investigation · Sep 8, 2019 · ET-ALO · Minor damage
  > The AIB of Saudi Arabia has notified the NTSB of an incident involving a Boeing 767 airplane that occurred on September 08, 2019. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the AIB's investigation under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13…
- [NTSB DCA19WA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA19WA129.md): Boeing 737 · Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia · Incident · No injuries · Foreign investigation · Mar 24, 2019 · CP-3020 · No damage
  > The AIG of Bolivia has notified the NTSB of an incident involving a Boeing 737 airplane that occurred on March 24, 2019. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the AIG's investigation under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13 as State…
- [NTSB ERA19FA130](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19FA130.md): Mooney M20C · Cashiers, NC · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Mar 14, 2019 · N6075Q · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation while flying in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the vacuum pump and its associated instruments.
- [NTSB CEN19LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA016.md): Rotorway 162 · Passaic, MO · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Oct 27, 2018 · N162RF · Substantial damage
  > The electrical short in the main rotor rpm indicating unit which provided an inaccurate indication to the student pilot and resulted in substantial damage during the precautionary autorotation.
- [NTSB DCA18WA302](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA18WA302.md): Boeing 737 · Edinburgh, United Kingdom · Incident · No injuries · Foreign investigation · Sep 10, 2018 · EI-GJT · No damage
  > The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) of United Kingdom has notified the NTSB of an accident involving a BOEING 737 airplane that occurred on September 10, 2018. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the government of…
- [NTSB WPR18FA218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA218.md): Mooney M20K · Baker City, OR · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 11, 2018 · N231EC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during the landing approach as a result of his diversion of attention after a series of non-essential aircraft systems became inoperative following the failure of the engine-driven vacuum pump,…
- [NTSB GAA18CA407](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA407.md): Beech 58 · Mackinac Island, MI · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 1, 2018 · N66568 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to remove the pitot tube cover during the preflight inspection, which resulted in his delayed decision to reject the takeoff with insufficient runway remaining to safely stop the airplane.
- [NTSB DCA18WA157](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA18WA157.md): Boeing 737 · Lahore, Pakistan · Incident · No injuries · Foreign investigation · Apr 11, 2018 · AP-BMU · Minor damage
  > The Pakistan Safety Investigation Board has notified the NTSB of an incident involving a BOEING 737 airplane that occurred on April 11, 2018. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the government of Pakistan's investigation under…
- [NTSB ENG18WA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG18WA013.md): Boeing 737-800 · Paris, France · Incident · No injuries · Foreign investigation · Feb 8, 2018 · F-GZHO · No damage
  > The Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la sécurité de l'aviation civile (BEA) of France has notified the NTSB of an accident involving a Boeing 737-800, which occurred on February 8, 2018. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist…
- [NTSB CEN18LA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA032.md): Cessna T207A · Rock Springs, WY · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 15, 2017 · N9825M · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper in-flight fuel management and reliance on a faulty fuel gauge, which resulted in fuel starvation during approach for landing, and his failure to follow the emergency checklist after losing engine power.
- [NTSB CEN17LA184](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA184.md): Mooney M20E · Dowling, MI · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 15, 2017 · N9265M · Substantial damage
  > Innacurate airspeed indications due to contamination of the pitot-static system with insect remains, which resulted in a high approach and landing speed and subsequent runway overrun.
- [NTSB ERA17LA163](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA163.md): Robinson R44 · Orlando, FL · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 20, 2017 · N899GB · Substantial damage
  > A partial failure of the helicopter's engine tachometer due to the separation of one of the magnet assemblies and engine roughness, which precipitated the pilot’s initiation of an off-airport autorotation, during which he applied improper aft cyclic flight…
- [NTSB ERA16LA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA082.md): Pilatus PC-12 · Savannah, GA · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 6, 2016 · N978AF · Substantial damage
  > The pilots’ failure to follow proper procedures in response to a crew alerting system warning for high engine torque values, which necessitated an off-runway emergency landing during which the airplane sustained substantial damage due to postimpact fire.…
- [NTSB DCA16WA037](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA16WA037.md): Boeing 787 · Darwin, Australia · Incident · No injuries · Foreign investigation · Dec 21, 2015 · VH-VKE · No damage
  > The government of Australia has notified the NTSB of an incident involving a Boeing 787 airplane that occurred on December 21, 2015. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the government of Australia's investigation under the…
- [NTSB CEN15LA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA149.md): Piper PA 32RT-300T · Lubbock, TX · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 20, 2015 · N22267 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff after the airplane did not lift off as expected due to an inaccurate airspeed indication and tailwind condition, which resulted in a subsequent runway overrun.
- [NTSB ENG15IA037](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG15IA037.md): Boeing 787-8 · London, United Kingdom · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Oct 10, 2014 · N26906 · Minor damage
  > A shutdown of the displays due to the inability to operate through a rapid transient radiated electric field brought on by a near field lightning strike. Contributing to the loss of displays for the remainder of the flight was the lack of guidance to the crew…
- [NTSB WPR14FA349](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14FA349.md): Beech V35B · Novato, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 19, 2014 · N1160T · Substantial damage
  > The instrument-rated pilot's decision to conduct a visual approach to the airport in night, instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's loss of situational awareness, the…
- [NTSB WPR14CA334](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14CA334.md): Jabiru USA Sport J250 SP · Bakersfield, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 8, 2014 · N526FL · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate approach which resulted in a long landing and runway overrun.
- [NTSB CEN14FA278](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14FA278.md): Hermann Bjorn Lancair IV · Duluth, MN · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 7, 2014 · N86NW · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while operating in instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions, which was due to spatial disorientation resulting from erroneous heading and bank angle information shown on the primary flight display. Contributing…
- [NTSB ERA14FA168](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA168.md): Piper PA-44-180 · Brunswick, GA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 24, 2014 · N923RS · Destroyed
  > An inflight failure of the airplane's only operating vacuum pump, which resulted in the loss of attitude information provided by vacuum-driven flight instruments. Also causal was the pilots' failure to maintain control of the airplane while operating in…
- [NTSB ERA13FA275](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA275.md): Cessna 340A · Boynton Beach, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 8, 2013 · N217JP · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s loss of situational awareness, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall/spin after he climbed the airplane back into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to continue…
- [NTSB CEN12LA532](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA532.md): Cessna 177B · Evansville, IN · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 7, 2012 · N34283 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s loss of control due to an inaccurate attitude reference, which was caused by an impending (“in process”) failure of the bearing in the attitude indicator.
- [NTSB CEN12FA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA164.md): Piper PA-24-250 · Albany, TX · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 21, 2012 · N7147P · Substantial damage
  > The loss of flight instrumentation due to a failed vacuum pump while flying a night without a discernable horizon, which resulted in the pilot's spatial disorientation and an in-flight loss of control and impact with terrain. Contributing was the continued…
- [NTSB WPR11FA415](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11FA415.md): Cessna 172M · Santa Monica, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 29, 2011 · N5155Q · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s misjudged approach and landing attempt. Contributing to the accident was a lack of airspeed due to a blocked pitot tube.
- [NTSB ERA11LA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA105.md): Cessna 172 · Dublin, NC · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 31, 2010 · N4383Q · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper touchdown speed which resulted in a runway overrun. Contributing to the accident was the undetermined malfunction of the airspeed indicator.
- [NTSB CEN10CA283](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA283.md): Cessna 182A · Franksville, WI · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 2, 2010 · N4974D · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection and delay in aborting the takeoff.
- [NTSB CEN10LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA068.md): Beech V35 · Dodge City, KS · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 6, 2009 · N108L · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the pitot heat system in icing conditions resulting in an inoperative airspeed indicator which led to an inadvertant stall while on final approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to fly into known icing conditions.
- [NTSB ERA09FA376](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09FA376.md): Pilatus PC-12/45 · Raphine, VA · Accident · 4 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 5, 2009 · N578DC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while in instrument meteorological conditions following a reported instrumentation failure for undetermined reasons.
- [NTSB DCA09IA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA09IA064.md): Airbus A330-323 · Kagoshima, Japan · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Jun 23, 2009 · N805NW · No damage
  > Brief and temporary blockage of the pitot probes in cruise flight, most likely due to ice crystals aloft, leading to erroneous airspeed indications and airplane automation degradation as designed. Contributing to the incidents were design features of the…
- [NTSB ERA09CA333](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA333.md): Chatham Robert M RV6-A · Gilbert, SC · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 9, 2009 · N55EC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the airspeed indicator that became inoperative during the landing approach.

Next page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/334/sequence.md?page=2

## 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."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '334' 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/334/sequence

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