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Turbulence encounter

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NTSB defining event · CICTT: Turbulence

CICTT occurrence categories (PDF)CICTT phases of flight (PDF)

All 343 cases423 anywhere in the sequence
Defining event in
343 cases
In the sequence of
423 cases
Fatal cases
12
NTSB code
360

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008. Earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes, so they aren’t counted here.

When and where

In green, cases where it was the defining event; in gray, cases where it came elsewhere in the sequence. The map shows the cases where it was the defining event. Events are coded with the final report, so the latest years are incomplete.

Cases per year

2008Defining eventElsewhere in the sequence2026

Where

Open the map
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT year(c.\"eventDate\") AS year, count(DISTINCT e.case_mkey) AS cases,
    count(DISTINCT e.case_mkey) FILTER (WHERE e.\"isDefiningEvent\") AS defining
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c ON c.\"mKey\" = e.case_mkey
  WHERE e.\"tier2Number\" = '360' AND e.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE \"isDefiningEvent\")
  GROUP BY 1
  ORDER BY 1"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

In these cases

Phase of flight
  • Enroute-descent105
  • Enroute-cruise95
  • Enroute45
  • Approach35
  • Enroute-climb to cruise23
  • Initial climb8
  • Approach-VFR pattern final7
  • Maneuvering-low-alt flying6
  • Maneuvering5
  • Approach-IFR initial approach3
In the probable cause
Aircraft models

Aircraft matched to the registry by N-number and date.

Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "WITH defining AS (SELECT * FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE \"tier2Number\" = '360' AND \"isDefiningEvent\")
  SELECT * FROM (
  SELECT 'Phase of flight' AS kind, e.\"tier1Number\" AS code, max(e.\"eventTier1Name\") AS name, count(DISTINCT e.case_mkey) AS cases
  FROM defining e
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Finding in the probable cause', left(f.\"findingCode\", 8), max(f.\"tier4Name\"), count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey)
  FROM defining e JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f ON f.case_mkey = e.case_mkey AND f.aircrafts_position = e.aircrafts_position AND f.\"inProbableCause\"
  WHERE f.\"findingCode\" GLOB '[0-9][0-9]*'
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Aircraft model', a.aircraft_model_code, any_value(concat_ws(' ', m.manufacturer, m.model)), count(DISTINCT e.case_mkey)
  FROM defining e JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = e.case_mkey AND a.position = e.aircrafts_position
  LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/faa_aircraft_model.parquet' m ON m.code = a.aircraft_model_code
  WHERE a.aircraft_model_code IS NOT NULL
  GROUP BY ALL
  )
  QUALIFY row_number() OVER (PARTITION BY kind ORDER BY cases DESC) <= 10
  ORDER BY kind, cases DESC"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

Newest cases · 343

NTSB DCA27LA019Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedInvestigation openBoeing 777-222 · Pacific Ocean (Pacific Ocean)Oct 21, 2026 · N769UANTSB DCA27WA009Incident · No injuriesClass 5 · ForeignAirbus A320-214 · Kingston, JamaicaOct 9, 2026 · N207FRNTSB DCA26WA371Incident · No injuriesClass 5 · ForeignBoeing 787 · Pacific Ocean, VietnamSep 17, 2026 · VH-VKHNTSB DCA26WA338Accident · Serious injuriesClass 5 · ForeignBoeing 737 · Hongseong, South KoreaAug 22, 2026 · HL8061 · No damageNTSB DCA26WA379Accident · Serious injuriesClass 5 · ForeignBoeing 737 · Warsaw, PolandAug 10, 2026 · SP-LYDNTSB DCA26WA331IncidentClass 5 · ForeignAirbus A321 · Royal National Park, AustraliaAug 10, 2026 · VH-OFSNTSB DCA26WA341IncidentClass 5 · ForeignBoeing 747 · Changzhi, ChinaAug 2, 2026 · VQ-BBM · No damageNTSB DCA26WA328Accident · Serious injuriesClass 5 · ForeignBoeing 737 · Higashiizu, JapanJul 21, 2026 · JA335JNTSB DCA26LA286Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportEmbraer S A ERJ 170-200 LL · Sanford, FLAn encounter with convectively induced turbulence during cruise flight in an area of forecast thunderstorm activity.Jul 16, 2026 · N271SY · No damageNTSB DCA26WA277IncidentClass 5 · ForeignAirbus A320 · Longford, United KingdomJul 9, 2026 · G-EUUM
See all 343 cases
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "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.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT e.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e WHERE e.\"isDefiningEvent\" AND e.\"tier2Number\" = '360')
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.