# Fatal NTSB investigations: Turbulence encounter

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 DCA24WA185](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA24WA185.md): Boeing 777 · Payagyi, Myanmar (Burma) · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Foreign · May 21, 2024 · 9V-SWM · Minor damage
- [NTSB CEN22FA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA035.md): Air Tractor AT-802A · Estes Park, CO · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Nov 17, 2021 · N802NZ · Substantial damage
  > The airplane’s encounter with severe to extreme turbulence associated with mountain wave rotor cloud activity, which resulted in loss of airplane control.
- [NTSB ANC20FA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20FA005.md): Beech V35 · Blythe, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Nov 26, 2019 · N14UC · Destroyed
  > A loss of control in flight due to the pilot’s decision to fly into a mountain range, at night, in conditions conducive to high wind, mountain waves, and turbulence.
- [NTSB CEN19WA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19WA077.md): Rans S12 · Bavispe, Mexico · Accident · 2 fatal · Foreign investigation · Jan 26, 2019 · UNREG · Substantial damage
- [NTSB CEN19FA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19FA022.md): Mustang II · Broomfield, CO · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 2, 2018 · N287BM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inability to maintain airplane control following an encounter with mountain wave turbulence.
- [NTSB WPR18FA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA073.md): Piper PA 23-250 · Elko, NV · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 12, 2018 · N54857 · Destroyed
  > The pilot's inadequate preflight weather planning, which resulted in the flight over mountainous terrain into forecast instrument meteorological conditions, icing, and mountain wave, and resulted in an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain.
- [NTSB WPR17FA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17FA213.md): Cessna 172L · Perkinsville, AZ · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 22, 2017 · N7070Q · Destroyed
  > The pilot's decision to fly into a canyon during wind conditions conducive to turbulence and downdrafts, and his subsequent loss of aircraft control while maneuvering in the canyon. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's limited canyon flying experience.
- [NTSB WPR17FA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17FA023.md): Cessna 172N · Moss Beach, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 18, 2016 · N6610D · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's loss of airplane control following an encounter with low level wind shear and turbulence during final approach for landing. Contributing to the loss of control was the pilot's decision to retract the wing flaps on final approach, which resulted in…
- [NTSB ERA12WA457](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12WA457.md): Beech B36TC · Nassau, Bahamas · Accident · 2 fatal · Foreign investigation · Jul 16, 2012 · N6703K · Destroyed
- [NTSB WPR11FA302](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11FA302.md): Schleicher ASW-20 · Lone Pine, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 2, 2011 · N838KS · Substantial damage
  > The glider encountered a strong downward orographic wind flow and turbulence that forced it into terrain. Also causal was the pilot’s decision to operate the glider very close to the terrain.
- [NTSB ANC10FA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC10FA064.md): Dehavilland Beaver DHC-2 MK.1 · Ketchikan, AK · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 23, 2010 · N9290Z · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to continue the flight toward his destination in significant turbulence and downdrafts, and his subsequent failure to maintain control of the airplane while flying low over rising terrain.
- [NTSB DFW08FA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW08FA080.md): Cessna T210M · Abbeville, LA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 11, 2008 · N732RR · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident were the prevailing clouds, rain, and turbulence.

## 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 c."highestInjuryLevel" = 'Fatal'
  AND 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
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/cases?fatal=1

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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.