# NTSB investigations, 2012: 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 CEN13FA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA105.md): Beech E-90 · Amarillo, TX · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 15, 2012 · N67PS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s loss of control of the airplane after encountering icing conditions and heavy to extreme turbulence and the subsequent exceedance of the airplane’s design limit, which led to an in-flight breakup.
- [NTSB CEN13LA071](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA071.md): Scott Ironsides · East Troy, WI · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 24, 2012 · N1879 · Substantial damage
  > Failure of the steel weld fittings on the right main landing gear.
- [NTSB WPR13LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA050.md): Sater Coot A-Amphib · San Andreas, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 23, 2012 · N8VS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's excessive flight control inputs, which led to flight that exceeded the structural limits of the airplane and resulted in structural failure of both wings.
- [NTSB ERA13LA065](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA065.md): Beech C90A · Roanoke, VA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 20, 2012 · N702DK · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the right main landing gear bearing actuator support brackets. Contributing to the accident was the owner's and operator's failure to comply with the airplane manufacturer's mandatory service bulletin and the Federal Aviation Administration's…
- [NTSB WPR13FA037](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA037.md): Cessna 421C · Shaver Lake, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 11, 2012 · N700EM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to regain airplane control following a sudden rapid descent during cruise, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to make the flight with a failed vacuum pump, particularly at high…
- [NTSB CEN12FA628](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA628.md): Piper PA-23-250 · Bullard, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 12, 2012 · N4842P · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's maneuver, which exceeded the airplane's structural limit and resulted in an in-flight breakup.
- [NTSB WPR12LA396](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA396.md): Beech G35 · Oceano, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 31, 2012 · N4454D · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s exceedance of the design maneuvering speed during descent in turbulence, which resulted in structural damage to the aft fuselage.
- [NTSB ERA12LA537](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA537.md): Quad City Ultralights Challenger II · Ocala, FL · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 30, 2012 · N2481P · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadvertent overstress of the airplane, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the outer section of the right wing.
- [NTSB CEN12CA600](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12CA600.md): Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar · Columbus, OH · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 26, 2012 · N904LA · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the right main landing gear strut due to a preexisting crack.
- [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 ANC12FA066](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12FA066.md): Piper PA-32R-301 · Fairbanks, AK · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 19, 2012 · N432LT · Destroyed
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot's decision to continue visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions likely leading to spatial disorientation, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and in-flight structural failure.
- [NTSB ERA12FA433](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12FA433.md): Piper PA-32R-300 · New Site, MS · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 8, 2012 · N4386F · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to operate into a known area of adverse weather, which resulted in the inadvertent penetration of a severe thunderstorm, a subsequent loss of control, and in-flight breakup of the airplane.
- [NTSB CEN12IA377](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12IA377.md): Piper PA-28R-200 · Lacon, IL · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Jun 18, 2012 · N4350T · Minor damage
  > The propeller blade’s failure due to a fatigue crack that originated from a surface gouge that resulted from foreign object damage to the propeller blade that occurred at an unknown time.
- [NTSB ERA12FA385](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12FA385.md): Pilatus PC-12/47 · Lake Wales, FL · Accident · 6 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 7, 2012 · N950KA · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane while climbing to cruise altitude in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) following disconnect of the autopilot. The reason for the autopilot disconnect could not be determined during…
- [NTSB ERA12FA376](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12FA376.md): Hawker Beechcraft A36 · Macon, MS · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 31, 2012 · N976S · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to continue flight into an area of known thunderstorms, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in actual instrument meteorological conditions and his reliance on datalink…
- [NTSB CEN12LA247](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA247.md): Hughes 269A · Grinnell, IA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 17, 2012 · N69HJ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper liftoff technique, which resulted in ground resonance, and the pilot's delayed recognition of the ground resonance.
- [NTSB WPR12FA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA164.md): Cessna 320D · Green River, WY · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 12, 2012 · N32EG · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering in marginal weather conditions, which resulted in an exceedence of the design stress limits of the airplane and a subsequent in-flight structural failure.
- [NTSB CEN12FA196](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA196.md): Beech 35 · Glencoe, MN · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 21, 2012 · N3871N · Substantial damage
  > The non-instrument-rated pilot’s continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the design limits of the airplane being exceeded and an in-flight breakup.
- [NTSB WPR12LA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA115.md): Texas Helicopter OH-13E/M74 · Farmington, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 22, 2012 · N43921 · Substantial damage
  > The in-flight separation of the wood portion of one main rotor blade while maneuvering at low level, the reason for which could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
- [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 CEN12LA218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA218.md): Cessna 182A · New Philadelphia, OH · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 18, 2012 · N20DE · Substantial damage
  > The inadequate maintenance of the wheel attachment bolts, which resulted in the left wheel separating from the landing gear during landing due to ductile overstress fractures.
- [NTSB ERA12LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA131.md): Haney John F B Seastar XP · Willimantic, CT · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 1, 2012 · N667JH · Substantial damage
  > A partial loss of engine power due to carburetor icing. Contributing to the accident was the lack of an installed manufacturer-recommended carburetor heat system.

## 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 year(c."eventDate") = 2012
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '337' 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/337/sequence?year=2012

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