# NTSB investigations, 2020: 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 ERA21LA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA014.md): Pipistrel Alpha Trainer · Rural Hall, NC · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 8, 2020 · N227PF · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control and improper recovery from an unusual attitude, which resulted in an in-flight breakup.
- [NTSB ERA20LA315](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA315.md): Vans RV9 · Steinhatchee, FL · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 13, 2020 · N4889R · Destroyed
  > The failure of the air traffic controller to provide hazardous weather information to the pilot, resulting in the flight’s encounter with strong updraft conditions, an inflight loss of airplane control, and an in-flight breakup. Contributing was the pilot’s…
- [NTSB CEN20LA378](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA378.md): Cessna 340 · Oklahoma City, OK · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 3, 2020 · N5178J · Substantial damage
  > A failure of the windscreen for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.
- [NTSB WPR20LA283](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA283.md): Kaman K 1200 · Pine Grove, OR · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Aug 25, 2020 · N314 · Substantial damage
  > An in-flight breakup resulting from contact of the left rotor system with the right rotor system after an in-flight failure of a servo flap from a left rotor blade.
- [NTSB WPR20WA210](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20WA210.md): Robinson R44 · Broome Aerodrome, Australia · Accident · 2 fatal · Foreign investigation · Jul 4, 2020 · VH-NBY · Substantial damage
  > The government of Australia has notified the NTSB of an accident involving a ROBINSON R44 helicopter that occurred on July 04, 2020. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the government of Australia's investigation under the…
- [NTSB CEN20WA237](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20WA237.md): Piper PA34 · Reinsfeld, Germany · Accident · 1 fatal · Foreign investigation · Jun 17, 2020 · D-GEMZ · Destroyed
  > The government of Germany has notified the NTSB of an accident involving a Piper PA-34 220T airplane, German registration D-GEMZ, that occurred on June 17, 2020. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the government of Germany's…
- [NTSB CEN20CA220](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA220.md): Vans RV8 · Sulfer, LA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report · Jun 8, 2020 · N44LA · Substantial damage
  > A loss of directional control as a result of a fractured landing gear attach bracket.
- [NTSB ANC20LA059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20LA059.md): Piper PA 12 · Anchorage, AK · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jun 8, 2020 · N3188M · Substantial damage
  > The fatigue fracture of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) 1025 carbon steel rudder post, which resulted in structural failure of the rudder. Contributing to the fatigue failure was the post’s susceptibility to fatigue cracking under normal service…
- [NTSB CEN20LA201](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA201.md): Piper PA28 · Carlinville, IL · Accident · 4 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · May 31, 2020 · N8991W · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s attempted recovery from a steep descent which inadvertently exceeded the ultimate load factor of the airframe and resulted in a low-level inflight breakup.
- [NTSB ERA20FA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20FA086.md): Mustang II · Senoia, GA · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jan 25, 2020 · UNREG · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s structural limitations while conducting previous aerobatic maneuvers, which resulted in an in-flight breakup of the airplane.

## 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") = 2020
  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=2020

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