NTSB investigations, AK
38 cases where the sequence of events included Loss of visual reference.
Cases per year
| 2008 | 3 |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2025 | 1 |
Where
Open the mapLatest 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.\"eventStateOrRegion\" = 'AK' AND c.\"eventCountry\" = 'USA'
AND c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.\"tier2Number\" = '402' 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"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."eventStateOrRegion" = 'AK' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA' AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '402' 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
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.
NTSB ANC25LA064Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Palmer, AKThe pilot’s diverted attention during takeoff in flat light conditions, which resulted in a loss of visual reference with terrain.NTSB ANC23LA036Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportPiper PA31 · Point Thomson, AKThe pilot’s inadvertent descent below the published minimum descent altitude, while operating in flat light conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.NTSB ANC23LA032Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Skwentna, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance from terrain while maneuvering in adverse weather conditions, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.NTSB ANC23LA022Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna U206F · Chugiak, AKThe pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff in flat light conditions which resulted in a loss of control and impact with a snow berm.NTSB ANC22LA022Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna U206F · Newhalen, AKThe pilot’s decision to continue visual flight into an area of instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot experiencing a loss of visual reference and subsequent controlled flight into terrain.NTSB WPR21FA143Accident · 5 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportAirbus Helicopters AS350-B3 · Palmer, AKThe pilot’s failure to adequately respond to an encounter with whiteout conditions, which resulted in the helicopter’s collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the (1) operator’s inadequate pilot training program and pilot competency checks,…NTSB ANC20CA023Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportRobinson R44 · Talkeetna, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from snow covered terrain during an en route descent in flat light conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.NTSB ANC20FA017Accident · 5 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportPiper PA32R · Tuntutuliak, AKThe pilot's continued visual flight rules flight into reduced visibility, including likely flat light and/or white out conditions, which resulted in a controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident were the operator’s inadequate operational…NTSB ANC20LA004Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportPiper PA32R · Goodnews Bay, AKThe pilot’s failure to monitor the airplane instruments during a night visual flight rules departure in dark light conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and the airplane’s descent into water.NTSB ANC18TA070Accident · Serious injuriesFinal reportCessna U206 · Willow, AKThe pilot receiving instruction's failure to maintain control during a night landing pattern crosswind turn due to spatial disorientation and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action, which resulted in impact with terrain.NTSB ANC18FA053Accident · Serious injuriesField investigationFinal reportDe Havilland DHC 3 · Hydaburg, AKThe pilot's decision to continue the visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.NTSB ANC18FA036Accident · 1 fatalClass 2 · FieldFinal reportPiper PA-28-180 · Whittier, AKThe student pilot's decision to depart and continue on a solo cross-country flight through mountainous terrain in marginal visual flight rules conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.NTSB ANC17FA049Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA-18AS · Tyonek, AKThe noninstrument-rated pilot's decision to initiate a visual flight rules flight into dark night, marginal visual flight rules to instrument flight rules conditions, which resulted in a loss of control due to spatial disorientation.NTSB ANC17LA040Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 · Solomon, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude above water, and his loss of situational awareness, which resulted in an inadvertent descent and collision with water.NTSB ANC17FA039Accident · 1 fatalClass 2 · FieldFinal reportCessna U206 · Port Alsworth, AKThe pilot's decision to continue visual flight into an area of instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of visual reference and subsequent controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident was (1) the inadequate preflight…NTSB GAA17CA474Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportCessna 210 · Bettles, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate glidepath during the approach to the runway over glassy water and in glaring sun conditions.NTSB GAA17CA388Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportCessna 207 · Hope, AKThe pilot’s inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent controlled flight into terrain.NTSB ANC17LA025Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportAirbus AS350 · Juneau, AKThe pilot's decision to depart into an area of degraded visual meteorological and flat light conditions, which resulted in a loss of visual references and subsequent controlled flight into terrain.NTSB ANC17FA021Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 208B · Chignik Lake, AKThe pilot's continued visual flight rules flight into an area of mountainous terrain and instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). Contributing to the accident was the company's failure to provide the pilot…NTSB GAA17CA147Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportCessna A185 · Fairbanks, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate glidepath to the runway and to use the vertical guidance system.NTSB ANC17LA011Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R22 · Unalaska, AKThe pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from terrain during a precautionary landing in whiteout conditions, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain.NTSB ANC16FA023Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportAirbus AS350 · Skagway, AKThe pilot's decision to continue visual flight into an area of instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot experiencing a loss of visual reference and subsequent controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident were the…NTSB ANC16LA022Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAirbus AS350 · Juneau, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance while on approach to land in flat light conditions. Contributing to the severity of the pilot's injuries was the inadequately restrained internal cargo, which shifted forward during the impact and struck the…NTSB GAA16LA031Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAirbus AS350 · Deadhorse, AKThe noninstrument-rated pilot's continued visual flight into adverse weather conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation, and his subsequent failure to maintain terrain clearance while attempting to land in flat light and whiteout conditions.NTSB ANC14LA007Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBeech 1900C · Deadhorse, AKThe captain’s decision to initiate a visual flight rules approach and attempted landing into an area of instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the airplane touching down short of the runway. Contributing to the accident was the operator’s…NTSB ANC13CA006Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportPiper PA-18-125 · Cordova, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain during takeoff.NTSB ANC12CA036Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportShort Bros. & Harland SC7 Series 3 · Chefornak, AKThe pilot's misidentification of a nearby snow-covered road as the snow-covered runway in flat light conditions.NTSB ANC12IA024Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportBombardier Learjet 35A · Anchorage, AKThe flightcrew's loss of visual reference to the runway after encountering severe in-flight icing conditions, which resulted in a loss of control while landing and exceedence of the capabilities of the airplane's windscreen anti-ice systems. Contributing to…NTSB ANC12FA009Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 207 · Chuathbaluk, AKThe pilot’s loss of situational awareness after an inadvertent encounter with instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an in-flight collision with tree-covered terrain.NTSB ANC11TA110Accident · No injuriesFinal reportBell 206 B3 · Seward, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from snow-covered terrain during hover in deteriorating weather and flat light conditions, which resulted in a tail rotor strike.NTSB ANC11FA077Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 207 · McGrath, AKThe pilot's decision to continue visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an in-flight collision with mountainous terrain.NTSB ANC11FA069Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 182P · Juneau, AKThe pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an in-flight collision with mountainous terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's self-induced pressure to reach his destination.NTSB ANC10LA071Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPiper PA-32-260 · Chickaloon, AKThe pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in an in-flight collision with terrain.NTSB ANC10CA027Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportCessna 182B · Port Alsworth, AKThe pilot's decision to enter adverse weather conditions, resulting in a loss of visibility and collision with terrain during a turn to reverse direction.NTSB ANC09CA020Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportBeech 65-A90-1 · Soldotna, AKThe pilot's misidentification of the runway surface during landing. Contributing to the accident were the snow-covered terrain, and low-light conditions.NTSB ANC08FA133Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 182 · Juneau, AKThe pilot's decision to continue visual flight into an area of instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot experiencing a loss of visual reference and subsequent controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the…NTSB ANC08LA046Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPiper PA-32 · Koliganek, AKThe pilot's VFR flight into adverse weather conditions that resulted in a collision with snow-covered terrain during a turn to reverse direction. Factors contributing to the accident were low ceilings, flat lighting conditions, and the snow-covered terrain.NTSB ANC08LA042Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCessna 180 · White Mountain, AKThe pilot’s inadvertent flight into flat light/whiteout conditions over snow-covered terrain.