Fatal NTSB investigations

25 cases where the sequence of events included Ditching.

Cases per year

20082026
Fatal NTSB investigations per year, 2008–2026: 25 cases
20082
20091
20101
20111
20122
20131
20153
20162
20172
20191
20224
20231
20243
20261

Latest 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.\"highestInjuryLevel\" = 'Fatal'
    AND c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.\"tier2Number\" = '441' 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.

NTSB CEN26FA257Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldPreliminary reportDakota Cub Super 18 · Plymouth, MAOn July 16, 2026, about 0740 eastern daylight time, a Dakota Cub Super 18 airplane, N84AJ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Plymouth, Massachusetts. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane operated under the provisions of…Jul 16, 2026 · N84AJ · Substantial damageNTSB GAA24WA285Accident · 2 fatalClass 4 · ForeignPiper PA-23-250 · Nassau, BahamasSep 12, 2024 · N555MH · Substantial damageNTSB ERA24FA305Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldPreliminary reportCessna 402 · Easton, MDOn July 16, 2024, about 0932 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 402B, N7875E, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Easton, Maryland. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of…Jul 16, 2024 · N7875E · Substantial damageNTSB ERA24FA265Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportVans RV6 · Methuen, MAThe pilot’s failure to manage the available fuel supply, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.Jun 17, 2024 · N715PA · Substantial damageNTSB WPR23LA192Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportViking Air DHC-6-400 · Half Moon Bay, CAThe failure of the ferry fuel tank system to transfer fuel during a trans-Pacific flight for reasons that could not be determined, which resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent ditching into the water.May 20, 2023 · N153QS · Substantial damageNTSB GAA23WA045Accident · 2 fatalClass 5 · ForeignBell 412EP · Ocean, MexicoDec 22, 2022 · XA-BNANTSB WPR22FA303Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportCessna T207A · Page, AZThe total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during low altitude cruise flight, which resulted in a water ditching. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the pilot’s failure to extend the flaps during the ditching, which increased the…Aug 13, 2022 · N9582M · Substantial damageNTSB GAA22WA307Accident · 2 fatalClass 5 · ForeignRobinson R44 · Off shore, EcuadorJul 28, 2022 · HC-CLZ · Substantial damageNTSB GAA22WA067Accident · 2 fatalClass 5 · ForeignPiper PA-32-260 · Chame, PanamaJan 3, 2022 · N5535JNTSB ERA19LA096Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportConvair C131 · Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean)The captain's decision to continue with the flight with a malfunctioning left engine propeller control and the subsequent loss of engine power on both engines for undetermined reasons, which resulted in ditching into the ocean. Contributing to the accident…Feb 8, 2019 · N145GT · DestroyedNTSB ERA18WA047Accident · 1 fatalClass 5 · ForeignCessna T210 · West End, BahamasDec 14, 2017 · N727TJ · Substantial damageNTSB WPR17FA146Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportChicco Miguel E Quicksilver Sport II · Point Mugu, CAA partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination in combination with the low cruise altitude selected by the pilots, which resulted in an ocean ditching. The lack of personal flotation devices likely…Jul 8, 2017 · N2812NTSB ERA16LA195Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportRepublic P 47D · New York, NYA catastrophic engine failure of undetermined origin, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and subsequent ditching. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to jettison the canopy before ditching, which resulted in his inability to…May 27, 2016 · N1345B · Substantial damageNTSB ERA16LA109Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportPiper PA28 · Port Jefferson, NYThe flight instructor's inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.Feb 21, 2016 · N29099 · Substantial damageNTSB WPR15LA257Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 369HS · Manra Island, KiribatiA The loss of helicopter control for reasons that could not be determined asbecause the helicopter sank in the oceanwater and was not recovered.Sep 3, 2015 · N9068F · DestroyedNTSB ANC15FA062Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA 18-150 · Chugiak, AKThe loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.Aug 7, 2015 · N3675P · Substantial damageNTSB ERA15LA133Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportJohnson Joel H Rans S-6ES Coyote II · Rincon, PRThe inadequate maintenance and inspection of the fuel system, which resulted in partial blockage of a fuel filter, a partial loss of engine power, and subsequent ditching.Feb 19, 2015 · N5196W · Substantial damageNTSB WPR14FA068Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 208B · Kalaupapa, HIThe loss of engine power due to the fracture of multiple blades on the compressor turbine wheel, which resulted in a ditching. The reason for the blade failures could not be determined due to secondary thermal damage to the blades.Dec 12, 2013 · N687MA · DestroyedNTSB ERA12LA411Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportUniversal Stinson 108 · Portland, MEA fatigue failure of the No. 3 piston skirt, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and the subsequent ditching in the ocean.Jun 24, 2012 · N39443 · Substantial damageNTSB CEN12FA152Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportVarga 2150A · Frankston, TXThe loss of engine power due to carburetor ice, which resulted in the pilot ditching the airplane into the lake. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision not to apply carburetor heat.Feb 8, 2012 · N8293J · Substantial damageNTSB ERA12FA002Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportTemco GC-1B · Ewell, MDThe pilot's improper fuel management in that he did not verify the fuel selector position before beginning the flight or after the power loss, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and subsequent ditching.Oct 2, 2011 · N3825K · Substantial damageNTSB CEN10FA465Accident · 4 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna U206F · Ludington, MIThe total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of accumulated debris in the fuel system from an undetermined source. Also causal was the inadequate annual maintenance inspection that did not include inspection of the firewall fuel strainer…Jul 23, 2010 · N82531 · Substantial damageNTSB ERA10WA044Accident · 1 fatalForeign investigationBritten Norman BN2A · Kralendijk, Bonaire, NTOn October 22, 2009, about 1417 universal coordinated time, a Britten Norman BN-2A/26, PJ-SUN, experienced a right engine failure during cruise flight, and subsequently ditched in the Caribbean Sea, near Kralendijk, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles. The airplane…Oct 22, 2009 · PJ-SUN · Substantial damageNTSB CHI08FAMS2Accident · 1 fatalMissing aircraftFinal reportPiper PA-28-161 · Vik, IcelandThe pilot's decision to fly into an area of forecast weather suitable for structural icing. Contributing to the accident was the effect of the structural icing encountered.Feb 21, 2008 · N60842 · Substantial damageNTSB CHI08FAMS1Accident · 1 fatalMissing aircraftFinal reportCessna 310N · Keflavík, IcelandThe reported loss of both engines' power during cruise for undetermined reasons.Feb 11, 2008 · N5030Q · Substantial damage