# Medical event - Type: NTSB defining event - NTSB code: 850 - CICTT category: Medical Event - Defining event in: 52 cases - In the sequence of: 63 cases - Fatal cases: 25 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/850/cases.md - Cases with it anywhere in the sequence: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/850/sequence.md - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/850 ## Cases per year (defining / in the sequence) - 2009: 0 / 1 - 2010: 2 / 2 - 2017: 2 / 4 - 2018: 3 / 4 - 2019: 4 / 5 - 2020: 4 / 6 - 2021: 7 / 7 - 2022: 10 / 13 - 2023: 6 / 7 - 2024: 6 / 6 - 2025: 3 / 3 - 2026: 5 / 5 ## Phase of flight - Enroute-cruise: 12 cases - Enroute: 9 cases - Approach: 3 cases - Takeoff: 3 cases - Other: 2 cases - Maneuvering-low-alt flying: 2 cases - Initial climb: 2 cases - Taxi-from runway: 2 cases - Taxi: 2 cases - Standing-engine(s) not oper: 2 cases ## In the probable cause of these cases - [Cardiovascular](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012050) (Personnel issues): 13 cases - [Impairment/incapacitation, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012000) (Personnel issues): 8 cases - [Other loss of consciousness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012055) (Personnel issues): 6 cases - [Not determined, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000) (Not determined): 4 cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 4 cases - [Neurological](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012045) (Personnel issues): 4 cases - [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 3 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 2 cases - [Predisposing condition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02013035) (Personnel issues): 2 cases - [Performance/control parameters, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000) (Aircraft): 2 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Bell 407](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-407): 3 cases - [Cessna 208B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208b): 2 cases - [Schweizer SGS 1-35C](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-1-35c): 1 cases - [Robinson Helicopter R44](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44): 1 cases - [Pitts S-1T](https://openairdocs.org/model/pitts-s-1t): 1 cases - [Raytheon 58](https://openairdocs.org/model/raytheon-58): 1 cases - [Piper PA46-500TP](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa46-500tp): 1 cases - [Piper PA-39](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-39): 1 cases - [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30): 1 cases - [Piper PA-28-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235): 1 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB DCA26LA203](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA26LA203), May 12, 2026: Shield Ai V-BAT (N391JA), Gulf of America (Gulf of Mexico), minor damage, investigation ongoing - [NTSB CEN26LA156](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA156), Mar 21, 2026: Cessna 150G (N6305S), Ellicott, CO, substantial damage, investigation ongoing - [NTSB DCA26WA152](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA26WA152), Mar 8, 2026: Airbus A321 (OE-ISB), Málaga, Spain, incident, no damage - [NTSB DCA26WA174](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA26WA174), Mar 5, 2026: Boeing 737 (9H-VUG), Karmelava, Lithuania, no damage - [NTSB DCA26WA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA26WA122), Feb 6, 2026: Boeing 737 (9H-QFB), Jasionka, Poland, incident, no damage - [NTSB ERA26LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA005), Oct 4, 2025: Bellanca 7GCBC (N289PS), Reedville, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s sudden incapacitation by an episode of abnormal heartbeat due to heart disease during a takeoff attempt, which resulted in a loss of directional control and runway excursion. - [NTSB WPR25FA253](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25FA253), Aug 12, 2025: Pitts S-1T (N51HC), Goodyear, AZ, substantial damage, 1 fatal, investigation ongoing - [NTSB DCA25WA326](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25WA326), Jul 10, 2025: Boeing 737 (EI-EFE), Bologna, Italy, no damage - [NTSB WPR25FA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25FA062), Dec 16, 2024: American Eurocopter AS350B3 (N617GC), Potrero, CA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of control during cruise flight due to incapacitation for reasons that could not be determined. - [NTSB DCA25WA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25WA018), Oct 28, 2024: Boeing 737 (EI-HAY), Alicante, Spain, no damage NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted. Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1). NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names. --- 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.