# NTSB investigations, TX: Aircraft structural failure 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 DCA25LA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25LA025.md): Boeing 737-9 · Houston, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 24, 2024 · N27515 · Substantial damage > Brake application before all three landing gears were on the ground, which caused the failure of the right main landing gear tires and resulted in tire fragments impacting the fuselage. - [NTSB CEN24LA162](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA162.md): American Champion 7ECA · Longview, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Apr 12, 2024 · N793L · Substantial damage > The rudder post’s failure due to corrosion fatigue. Contributing to the accident were the misalignment of the rudder hinge components, which produced mechanical binding and elevated localized stress, and a compromised the protective coating, which allowed… - [NTSB CEN23LA405](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA405.md): Alisport Silent 2 Electro · Giddings, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 7, 2023 · N321AD · Substantial damage > The glider’s encounter with flutter during cruise flight that resulted in structural damage to the fuselage. - [NTSB CEN23LA319](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA319.md): Alisport Silent 2 Electro · Wallis, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jul 22, 2023 · N64JG · Substantial damage > The failure of the tail boom structure due to cyclic torsion overloading as of a result of flutter in the empennage. The reason for the flutter could not be determined. - [NTSB DCA16FA199](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA16FA199.md): Bell 525 · Italy, TX · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 2 · Field · Final report · Jul 6, 2016 · N525TA · Destroyed > A severe vibration of the helicopter that led to the crew's inability to maintain sufficient rotor rotation speed (Nr), leading to excessive main rotor blade flapping, subsequent main rotor blade contact with the tail boom, and the resultant in-flight… - [NTSB CEN16LA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA027.md): Bell 407 · San Antonio, TX · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 3, 2015 · N496AE · Substantial damage > The failure of the No. 3 tail rotor adapter and shaft due to a loss of torque on the retaining nut. Contributing to the accident was the lack of a requirement to inspect the tail rotor assembly for security in the helicopter manufacturer's maintenance manual… - [NTSB CEN15LA104](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA104.md): Baker Bobby J Safari · The Woodlands, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 16, 2015 · N416JB · Substantial damage > An in-flight separation of the helicopter’s horizontal stabilizer due to undetected fatigue cracking of the stabilizer spar, which resulted in a loss of control. - [NTSB CEN14LA351](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA351.md): Cessna 152 · Denton, TX · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 5, 2014 · N49785 · Substantial damage > The in-flight failure of the right wing’s rear spar. - [NTSB CEN14FA140](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14FA140.md): Hillam Scott L Rans S 10 · Shepherd, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 16, 2014 · N3000V · Destroyed > The noncertificated pilot’s improper decision to attempt aerobatic maneuvers that exceeded the airplane’s design limitations, which resulted in the subsequent in-flight breakup of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of aerobatic… - [NTSB CEN14LA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA056.md): Pearson Jon M Dragonfly · Anahuac, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 16, 2013 · N975DF · Destroyed > The incorrect installation by the pilot, who was not a certificated mechanic or repairman, of the main rotor head bearing block, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the rotor head. - [NTSB CEN13FA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA213.md): Schleicher Alexander · Littlefield, TX · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 30, 2013 · N12053 · Substantial damage > The pilot’s improper decision to conduct aerobatic maneuvers in a glider not approved for such maneuvers. Contributing to the accident was the degradation of the adhesive holding the wing together, which should have been detected either during the last annual… - [NTSB CEN13LA186](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA186.md): Fisher Michael E Celebrity · Terrell, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 4, 2013 · N70785 · Destroyed > The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s design stress limits while performing aerobatic maneuvers. - [NTSB DCA12IA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA12IA113.md): Boeing 737-3H4 · El Paso, TX · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Jul 27, 2012 · N379SW · Minor damage > the rupture of the nose landing gear hydraulic line that resulted from abrasions due to contact with the nose landing gear tire. Contributing to the incident was the incorrect installation of union and restrictor on the actuator. - [NTSB CEN12FA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA108.md): Piper PA-32-260 · Bryan, TX · Accident · 5 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 20, 2011 · N3590T · Substantial damage > The pilot’s inadvertent encounter with severe weather, which resulted in the airplane’s left wing failing in positive overload. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s reliance on outdated weather information that he received on his in-cockpit… - [NTSB CEN11LA209](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA209.md): Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 · Kingsville, TX · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 26, 2011 · N6196L · Substantial damage > A pre-existing crack in the front spar of the right horizontal stabilizer near a riveted fitting, causing it to fail and separate from the airplane in flight. Contributing to the accident was the failure of maintenance personnel comply with existing service… - [NTSB CEN09CA521](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA521.md): Maule M-4-220C · Abernathy, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 25, 2009 · N11EN · Substantial damage > The failure of the fuselage's tube structure due to corrosion during a hard landing. - [NTSB CEN09LA379](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA379.md): Urban Air Sro UFM-13 · Bourne Stage, TX · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 23, 2009 · N17UA · Substantial damage > The pilot’s exceedance of the aircraft’s placarded never-exceed speed (Vne), resulting in aerodynamic flutter in the empennage and the subsequent in-flight structural failure of the aft portion of the fuselage. - [NTSB CEN09CA268](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA268.md): Luscombe 8 · Terrell, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 22, 2009 · N2330K · Substantial damage > The failure of the landing gear due to undetected corrosion. ## 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" = 'TX' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA' AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT e.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e WHERE e."isDefiningEvent" AND e."tier2Number" = '337') ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC ``` This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337/cases?state=TX --- 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.