# NTSB investigations, 2013: 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 ERA14FA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA077.md): Piper PA-30 · Biglerville, PA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 26, 2013 · N8372Y · Destroyed > The noninstrument-rated pilot's spatial disorientation after inadvertently encountering instrument meteorological conditions at night and his subsequent loss of airplane control. - [NTSB CEN14IA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14IA085.md): Beech E90 · Eau Claire, WI · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Dec 11, 2013 · N60BA · Minor damage > The failure of the copilot’s windshield inner layer due to a peel chip that developed as a result of mechanical and thermal expansion stresses. - [NTSB ERA14MA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14MA060.md): Fairchild SA227-AC · La Alianza, PR · Accident · 2 fatal · Major investigation · Final report · Dec 3, 2013 · N831BC · Destroyed > The flight crew's excessive elevator input during a rapid descent under night lighting conditions, which resulted in the overstress and breakup of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was an initial loss of airplane control for reasons that could not be… - [NTSB CEN14FA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14FA064.md): Cessna T210 · Cedaredge, CO · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 20, 2013 · N6832B · Destroyed > The pilot's spatial disorientation while operating in dark night conditions in snow showers and his subsequent failure to maintain airplane control, which resulted in overstress of the airplane and an in-flight breakup. Contributing to the loss of control was… - [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 CEN14FA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14FA009.md): Cessna 500 · Derby, KS · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 18, 2013 · N610ED · Destroyed > The airplane's encounter with severe icing conditions, which resulted in structural icing, and the pilot's increased workload and subsequent disorientation while maneuvering in instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions with malfunctioning flight instruments,… - [NTSB ERA13FA424](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA424.md): Brown Robert K RV7A · Hamilton Township, NJ · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 20, 2013 · N174BK · Destroyed > The pilot's improper aerobatic maneuver that resulted in a loss of control, exceedance of the airplane's design limitations, and a subsequent in-flight breakup of the airplane. - [NTSB WPR13LA404](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA404.md): Bell 47G5 · King City, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 11, 2013 · N7836S · Substantial damage > The failure of the helicopter’s center frame tube due to a fatigue crack and corrosion originating from a welded surface. Contributing to the accident was maintenance personnel’s inadequate inspection of the helicopter during its most recent 100-hour… - [NTSB CEN13LA514](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA514.md): Challenger II · Emporia, KS · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 28, 2013 · UNREG · Substantial damage > The right wing’s folding up in flight for reasons that could not be determined because an examination did not reveal any abnormalities with the airframe that would have precluded normal operation. - [NTSB ERA13FA253](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA253.md): Piper PA-34-200T · Johnstown, NY · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 24, 2013 · N31743 · Destroyed > The pilot's loss of control due to spatial disorientation in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's design stress limitations, and a subsequent in-flight breakup. - [NTSB ENG13IA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG13IA027.md): Boeing 747 · Atlanta, GA · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · May 19, 2013 · B18701 · Minor damage > Failure of the right inboard foreflap outboard fitting due to fatigue and bearing anomalies on the sequence carriages which resulted in the partial separation of the right inboard foreflap. Contributing to the incident was the failure of maintenance personnel… - [NTSB ERA13LA199](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA199.md): Maxfly Inc/Mckay WM Searey · Polk City, FL · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 11, 2013 · N914WM · Substantial damage > The improper installation of incorrect attachment hardware by maintenance personnel during an undocumented repair, which resulted in an in-flight structural failure and subsequent loss of aircraft control. Contributing to the accident was the covering of the… - [NTSB ERA13LA198](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA198.md): Franke Russell J Searey · Polk City, FL · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 11, 2013 · N92319 · Substantial damage > An inadvertent encounter with the water wake from a larger amphibious airplane before takeoff and the pilot's subsequent inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane during which he failed to note damage caused by the wake encounter. - [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 CEN13FA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA192.md): Sikorsky S-76A++ · Grand Lake, LA · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 15, 2013 · N574EH · Destroyed > Fracture of the red tail rotor blade spar, which resulted in the separation and departure of the red tail rotor blade from the helicopter and subsequent compromised tail gearbox. The red tail rotor blade was not recovered, thus the cause of the initial… - [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 WPR13FA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA123.md): Avions Fairey Tipsy Nipper T-66 · Winters, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 14, 2013 · N1959N · Substantial damage > The airplane's impact with a turkey vulture in cruise flight, which resulted in the structural failure of the right wing and the subsequent loss of control. - [NTSB WPR13FA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA086.md): Beech V35A · Woody, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 7, 2013 · N35SD · Destroyed > An in-flight encounter with icing conditions during descent, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall followed by an in-flight breakup. - [NTSB ERA13RA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13RA106.md): Boeing-Vertol 234 · Pucallpa, Peru, Peru · Accident · 7 fatal · Class 5 · Foreign · Jan 7, 2013 · N241CH · Destroyed > On January 7, 2013, about 2002 universal coordinated time (1502 local time), a Boeing-Vertol 234, N241CH, operated by Columbia Helicopters Peru, S.A.C., was destroyed during an inflight breakup and subsequent impact with terrain near Pucallpa, Peru. The U.S.… ## 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") = 2013 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=2013 --- 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.