# NTSB investigations, 2016: 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 WPR17LA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA034.md): Bell OH 58A · Sacramento, CA · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Dec 4, 2016 · N916PD · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the vertical stabilizer due to fatigue.
- [NTSB ERA17FA038](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17FA038.md): Quad City Challenger · Crescent City, FL · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 9, 2016 · N327SH · Destroyed
  > An abrupt pitch-up maneuver following a descent, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the right wing due to the overload failure of both the forward and aft right wing attachment brackets.
- [NTSB WPR16LA150](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16LA150.md): Beech 65 A90 · Byron, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 24, 2016 · N256TA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent spin. Also causal to the accident was the pilot’s failure to follow prescribed spin…
- [NTSB CEN16FA276](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16FA276.md): Piper PA 30 · Plainfield, IL · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 21, 2016 · N7409Y · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during an en route climb near convective activity, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, an uncontrolled descent, and a subsequent in-flight breakup due to an exceedance of the airplane's design load…
- [NTSB ANC16LA048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC16LA048.md): Stinson 108 · Haines, AK · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 18, 2016 · N343C · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll with a quartering tailwind, which resulted in a ground loop and overstress failure of the left main landing gear wheel axle.
- [NTSB WPR16LA141](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16LA141.md): Luscombe 8A · Minden, NV · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 17, 2016 · N2759K · Substantial damage
  > The failure of a main landing gear leg during takeoff due to corrosion, which resulted in a nose-over during the subsequent landing on a grassy area.
- [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 DCA16CA197](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA16CA197.md): Facebook UK Aquila · Yuma, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 28, 2016 · N565AQ · Substantial damage
  > a structural failure of the wing as a result of exceeding the airspeed envelope due to wind gusts which were beyond the capabilities of the autopilot. Contributing to the accident was an insufficient amount of drag to track the glideslope in the presence of…
- [NTSB ERA16LA209](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA209.md): WSK PZL Mielec M 18A · Brunswick, NC · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 10, 2016 · N2283M · Destroyed
  > The failure of the right wing due to a fatigue fracture of the right outboard wing forward spar lower fitting. Contributing to the accident was the routine operation of the airplane over its certificated maximum gross weight and the operator's improper or…
- [NTSB ERA16FA176](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA176.md): Beech V35 · Syosset, NY · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 3, 2016 · N440H · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of airplane control while operating in instrument meteorological conditions with only a partial instrument panel due to a failure of the airplane's vacuum pump. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's spatial disorientation and the…
- [NTSB CEN16LA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA154.md): Air Tractor AT 502 · Kilbourne, LA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Apr 18, 2016 · N301LA · Destroyed
  > The failure of the operator to comply with the terminating action of the airworthiness directive, which resulted in the subsequent failure and separation of the vertical stabilizer due to fatigue.
- [NTSB CEN16LA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA108.md): Cessna LC41-550FG · Grand Junction, CO · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 24, 2016 · N10580 · Substantial damage
  > Failure of the right main tire for reasons that could not be determined because the tire was not available for examination.
- [NTSB DCA16LA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA16LA096.md): Lockheed 382G · Iliamna, AK · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 12, 2016 · N401LC · Substantial damage
  > The fatigue failure of the forward pressure bulkhead canted web that originated from stress corrosion cracking areas. Contributing to the failure were inspection procedures and intervals inadequate to identify the crack.
- [NTSB WPR16FA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA054.md): Cessna 525 · Cedar Fort, UT · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 18, 2016 · N711BX · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of control due to spatial disorientation while operating in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's design stress limitations, and a subsequent in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident…
- [NTSB ERA16FA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA089.md): Caughran Terry Flightstar II · Wake, VA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 14, 2016 · N82652 · Substantial damage
  > Failure of the left wing in flight due to compression loading from wing loads combined with preexisting damage.

## 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") = 2016
  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=2016

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