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Towing and taxiing

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NTSB finding section · Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service

All 39 cases33 in the probable cause
Cases
39
In the probable cause
33 (85%)
Fatal cases
1
NTSB code
010109

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 NTSB made it part of the probable cause; in gray, a factor or other finding. Findings are coded with the final report, often a year or more after the event, so the latest years are incomplete.

Cases per year

2008In the probable causeFactor only2026

Where

Open the map
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT year(c.\"eventDate\") AS year, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases,
    count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) FILTER (WHERE f.\"inProbableCause\") AS in_probable_cause
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c ON c.\"mKey\" = f.case_mkey
  WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '010109') AND c.\"eventDate\" >= DATE '2000-01-01'
  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.

Subsections · 3

Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT left(f.\"findingCode\", 8) AS code, max(f.\"tier4Name\") AS name,
    count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases,
    count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) FILTER (WHERE f.\"inProbableCause\") AS in_probable_cause
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f
  WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '010109') AND f.\"findingCode\" GLOB '[0-9][0-9]*'
  GROUP BY 1
  ORDER BY cases DESC, code"

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.

In the same cases

Defining events
Aircraft models

Aircraft matched to the registry by N-number and date.

Other findings
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "WITH matched AS (SELECT DISTINCT case_mkey, aircrafts_position FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' WHERE starts_with(\"findingCode\", '010109'))
  SELECT * FROM (
  SELECT 'Defining event' AS kind, e.\"tier2Number\" AS code, max(e.\"eventTier2Name\") AS name, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e ON e.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND e.aircrafts_position = f.aircrafts_position AND e.\"isDefiningEvent\"
  WHERE e.\"tier2Number\" <> ''
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Aircraft model', a.aircraft_model_code, any_value(concat_ws(' ', m.manufacturer, m.model)), count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey)
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND a.position = f.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
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Other finding', left(g.\"findingCode\", 8), max(g.\"tier4Name\"), count(DISTINCT g.case_mkey)
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' g
  WHERE g.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM matched) AND NOT starts_with(g.\"findingCode\", '010109') AND g.\"findingCode\" GLOB '[0-9][0-9]*'
  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.

Newest cases · 39

NTSB CEN26LA216Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 182P · Northport, MIThe pilot's decision to resume taxiing on a turf runway that was unable to adequately support the airplane's weight, which resulted in the nose landing gear sinking into the soft ground and the propeller striking the terrain.May 20, 2026 · N86289 · Substantial damageNTSB CEN26LA145Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportClassic Waco YMF · Galveston, TXThe biplane pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout while taxiing, which included the failure to perform S-turns to compensate for limited forward visibility.Mar 24, 2026 · N43000 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damageNTSB WPR26LA009Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportMooney M20C · Watsonville, CAThe pilot’s decision to program avionics during taxi, resulting in an inadvertent throttle input and collision with a hangar.Oct 7, 2025 · N6814N · Substantial damageNTSB WPR25LA042Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRemos GX · Prescott, AZThe Remos pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from another airplane while taxiing, which resulted in a ground collision.Nov 17, 2024 · N126GX · 2 aircraft · Substantial damageNTSB WPR23LA221Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 340A · Bend, ORThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the fuel station, resulting in a ground collision and fire.Jun 8, 2023 · N340SW · Substantial damageNTSB CEN23LA198Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportTextron 172S · Wichita, KSThe pilot’s failure to maintain a safe taxi distance from a turbine-powered airplane, resulting in an encounter of the turbine-powered airplane’s jet blast while taxiing.May 23, 2023 · N49RH · Substantial damageNTSB CEN23LA179Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportTextron 172S · Englewood, COThe pilot’s decision to adjust his seat during taxi, which resulted in his seat sliding aft, and subsequent loss of directional control.May 6, 2023 · N34BL · Substantial damageNTSB CEN23LA072Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportPiper PA46 · Brookshire, TXThe P51 pilot’s failure to see and avoid the PA46 during taxi operations.Dec 27, 2022 · N282TX · 2 aircraft · Substantial damageNTSB ERA20LA237Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportPiper PA46 · Titusville, FLThe loss of directional control during landing due to the fracture of the steering horn bolts, which rendered the nosewheel steering ineffective and resulted from the airplane being towed over the left turn limits at an undetermined time before the accident.Jul 3, 2020 · N89MA · Substantial damageNTSB DCA19CA186Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportBoeing 757 · San Francisco, CAfailure of the ground crew to maintain clearance from the parked airplane during pushback.Jul 23, 2019 · N57852 · Substantial damage
See all 39 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.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT f.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '010109'))
  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.