# Fatal NTSB investigations: Windshear or thunderstorm 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 WPR26FA294](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA294.md): Textron 172S · Provo, UT · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report · Aug 7, 2026 · N1842E · Substantial damage > On August 7, 2026, about 1549 mountain daylight time, a Textron Aviation Inc. 172S, N1842E, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Provo, Utah. The flight instructor sustained serious injuries, and the pilot undergoing instruction… - [NTSB WPR26FA254](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA254.md): Beech 95-B55 (T42A) · Waterloo, IL · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report · Jul 10, 2026 · N202DK · Destroyed > On July 9, 2026, at about 2248 central daylight time, a Beech 95-B55, N202DK, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Waterloo, Illinois. The pilot and pilot rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of… - [NTSB GAA23WA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA23WA165.md): Piper PA-32R-301 · Stella Maris, Bahamas · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 4 · Foreign · Jun 9, 2023 · N9253M · Destroyed - [NTSB ERA23FA219](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA219.md): Cessna 182 · Reliance, TN · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · May 7, 2023 · N725AS · Substantial damage > The pilot’s decision to continue an instrument flight into an area of forecast weather with severe to extreme turbulence associated with a line of thunderstorms, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. Contributing was the pilot’s operation of the airplane in… - [NTSB ERA22LA395](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA395.md): Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 42 · Orlando, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 1, 2022 · N43RG · Substantial damage > The flight crew’s insufficient evaluation of the deteriorating weather conditions in the area, which resulted in an encounter with a microburst. - [NTSB WPR21LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA111.md): Piper PA46R-350T · Tehachapi, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Feb 14, 2021 · N40TS · Destroyed > The pilot’s encounter with mountain wave activity with severe turbulence, which resulted in a loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to obtain a preflight weather briefing. - [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 CEN19FA247](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19FA247.md): Piper PA28 · Ontonagon, MI · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Aug 3, 2019 · N5167L · Destroyed > The non-instrument-rated pilot’s decision to continue visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions with thunderstorm activity, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of airplane control. - [NTSB ERA19FA188](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19FA188.md): Piper PA46 · Castalia, NC · Accident · 4 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jun 7, 2019 · N709CH · Destroyed > The pilot’s failure to navigate around hazardous weather, resulting in the penetration of a thunderstorm, a loss of airplane control, and an inflight breakup. The air traffic controller’s failure to provide the pilot with adequate and timely weather… - [NTSB CEN19FA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19FA094.md): Cessna T337 · Longview, TX · Accident · 4 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 9, 2019 · N922EJ · Destroyed > The noninstrument-rated pilot's improper decision to continue flight into convective weather conditions, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its maximum maneuvering speed and the subsequent in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's… - [NTSB ERA17FA145](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17FA145.md): Pipistrel Virus SW · Micanopy, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 4, 2017 · N155CL · Destroyed > The pilot's intentional flight into an area of known convective thunderstorm activity, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. - [NTSB ERA17FA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17FA052.md): Ryan Navion · New Gretna, NJ · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 20, 2016 · N4976K · Substantial damage > The pilot's inadequate preflight weather planning and in-flight weather evaluation, which resulted in an encounter with a strong cold front and the pilot's subsequent loss of airplane control. - [NTSB ERA16FA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA309.md): Cessna 172 · Hollywood, FL · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 3, 2016 · N6091E · Destroyed > The pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight weather planning, which resulted in continued flight into a thunderstorm and a subsequent loss of airplane control. - [NTSB ERA16LA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA028.md): Schumacher Lancair Super ES · Pascagoula, MS · Accident · 3 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 26, 2015 · N817PR · Destroyed > The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control after encountering convective shower activity. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to continue flight into an area of known adverse weather. - [NTSB ERA16LA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA008.md): Cessna 172S · Seville, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 10, 2015 · N5295Y · Substantial damage > The airplane’s encounter with a downdraft, and the pilot's decision to maneuver the airplane at a low altitude and airspeed, which provided insufficient time and altitude to recover before impacting terrain. - [NTSB ERA16FA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA006.md): Columbia Aircraft Mfg LC41 550FG · Erwin, TN · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 9, 2015 · N1058S · Destroyed > The pilot's decision to fly into a known area of adverse weather, which resulted in the airplane entering a severe thunderstorm and a subsequent loss of control. - [NTSB CEN14FA300](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14FA300.md): Piper PA 46-310P · Lehman, TX · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 18, 2014 · N2428Q · Substantial damage > The pilot's improper decision to enter an area of known adverse weather, which resulted in the loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the air traffic controller's failure to provide critical weather information to the pilot to help him… - [NTSB WPR13FA138](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA138.md): Cessna 172M · Saratoga, WY · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 3, 2013 · N5129R · Substantial damage > The pilot’s decision to attempt flight into approaching adverse weather, which led to his low-level flight, encounter with mountain obscuration and moderate turbulence, and his subsequent loss of airplane control. Contributing to the severity of the pilot’s… - [NTSB CEN13FA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA073.md): Cessna 421C · Wells, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 27, 2012 · N67SR · Substantial damage > The pilot’s decision to continue the flight into an area of extreme weather, which led to the in-flight encounter with a thunderstorm and structural failure of the wings and tail. - [NTSB ERA12FA433](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12FA433.md): Piper PA-32R-300 · New Site, MS · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 8, 2012 · N4386F · Substantial damage > The pilot's decision to operate into a known area of adverse weather, which resulted in the inadvertent penetration of a severe thunderstorm, a subsequent loss of control, and in-flight breakup of the airplane. - [NTSB CEN12FA421](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA421.md): Beech E90 · Karnack, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 7, 2012 · N987GM · Destroyed > The pilot's inadvertent flight into thunderstorm activity, which resulted in the loss of airplane control and the subsequent exceedance of the airplane's design limits and in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the failure of air traffic control… - [NTSB ERA12FA376](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12FA376.md): Hawker Beechcraft A36 · Macon, MS · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 31, 2012 · N976S · Substantial damage > The pilot's decision to continue flight into an area of known thunderstorms, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in actual instrument meteorological conditions and his reliance on datalink… - [NTSB ERA12LA231](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA231.md): Firefly Balloons Firefly 8 · Fitzgerald, GA · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 16, 2012 · N14643 · Substantial damage > The pilot's intentional flight into adverse weather. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to obtain a weather briefing and his failure to follow the balloon manufacturer's published emergency procedure for weather deterioration during flight. - [NTSB ERA11FA376](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11FA376.md): Cessna A185F · Yabucoa, PR · Accident · 5 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 1, 2011 · N8436Q · Substantial damage > The pilot's inadequate weather planning and improper decision to continue a visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an encounter with a thunderstorm and subsequent loss of control. - [NTSB ERA10LA511](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA511.md): Ballonbau Worner NL-1000/STU · Adriatic Sea, A1 · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 29, 2010 · N801NM · Substantial damage > The crew's intentional flight into known adverse weather conditions, which resulted in destruction of the balloon envelope by lightning strike and the subsequent uncontrolled descent to the sea. - [NTSB ERA10MA188](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10MA188.md): Eurocopter AS-350-B3 · Brownsville, TN · Accident · 3 fatal · Major investigation · Final report · Mar 25, 2010 · N855HW · Substantial damage > The pilot's decision to attempt the flight into approaching adverse weather, resulting in an encounter with a thunderstorm with localized instrument meteorological conditions, heavy rain, and severe turbulence that led to a loss of control. - [NTSB ERA09FA074](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09FA074.md): Beech 35-B33 · Homosassa Spgs., FL · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 30, 2008 · N945T · Destroyed > The pilot’s continued flight into known adverse weather conditions. - [NTSB WPR09LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA043.md): Cessna 170B · Hanna, UT · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 21, 2008 · N8387N · Substantial damage > The flight's encounter with adverse tailwinds and downdrafts in mountainous terrain that exceeded the airplane's climb capability. - [NTSB CEN09FA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09FA010.md): Maule MXT-7-180A · Santa Teresa, NM · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 11, 2008 · N4257C · Destroyed > The pilot's decision to takeoff and fly into a thunderstorm. ## 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" = '390') ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC ``` This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/cases?fatal=1 --- 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.