NTSB defining event · CICTT: Unintended Flight Into IMC
CICTT occurrence categories (PDF)CICTT phases of flight (PDF)
- Defining event in
- 247 cases
- In the sequence of
- 392 cases
- Fatal cases
- 204
- NTSB code
- 401
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
| 2008 | 28 |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 31 |
| 2010 | 33 |
| 2011 | 31 |
| 2012 | 23 |
| 2013 | 23 |
| 2014 | 22 |
| 2015 | 24 |
| 2016 | 18 |
| 2017 | 29 |
| 2018 | 15 |
| 2019 | 24 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 20 |
| 2022 | 16 |
| 2023 | 17 |
| 2024 | 18 |
| 2025 | 7 |
Where
Open the mapQuery 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\" = '401' 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.
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" = '401' 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
Run it at the DuckDB prompt, or in any tool that reads Parquet over HTTPS. More ways to query the release are on Use the data.
In these cases
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\" = '401' 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.
WITH defining AS (SELECT * FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "tier2Number" = '401' 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 DESCRun it at the DuckDB prompt, or in any tool that reads Parquet over HTTPS. More ways to query the release are on Use the data.
Newest cases · 247
NTSB WPR25FA257Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldPreliminary reportCessna 140 · Shelter Cove, CAOn August 17, 2025 about 1521 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 140, N89447, was involved in an accident near Shelter Cove, California. The student pilot was fatally injured, and the passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14…NTSB ERA25FA195Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldPreliminary reportFFF Express 2000 FT · Polk, OHOn May 5, 2025, about 1940 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built FFF LLC Express 2000 FT airplane, N519EA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Polk, Ohio. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated…NTSB CEN25FA124Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldPreliminary reportRobinson Helicopter R44 · Danville, VAOn March 15, 2025, about 1500 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, N331ES, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Danville, Virginia. The pilot was fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal…NTSB ERA25LA130Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportPiper PA-28-235 · Manchester, VTThe pilot’s improper decision to continue the visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the accumulation of airframe icing and a subsequent aerodynamic stall/spin.NTSB ERA25FA119Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportCessna 208 · Pierson, FLThe non-instrument-rated pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of control.NTSB GAA25WA066Occurrence · No injuriesClass 5 · ForeignPiper 28 · Banktown, AustraliaNTSB GAA25WA036Accident · Serious injuriesClass 5 · ForeignCessna 340A · Magny-lès-Villers, FranceNTSB GAA25WA007Accident · 2 fatalClass 5 · ForeignCirrus Design SR22 · La Bretonnière la Claye, FranceNTSB ANC24FA089Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportBell 206B · King Salmon, AKThe pilot’s decision to initiate the visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his spatial disorientation, failure to maintain helicopter control and subsequent impact with water.NTSB CEN24FA327Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportPiper PA-28-140 · Wayne, NEThe non-instrument-rated pilot’s encounter with instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of control.
See all 247 casesQuery 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\" = '401') 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.
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" = '401') ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
Run it at the DuckDB prompt, or in any tool that reads Parquet over HTTPS. More ways to query the release are on Use the data.