# Empennage structure, general - Type: NTSB finding subsection - Path: [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01) › [Aircraft structures](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0103) › [Empennage structure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010355) › Empennage structure, general - NTSB code: 01035500 - Cases: 14 - In the probable cause: 9 - Fatal cases: 7 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035500/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035500/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035500 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 0 / 1 - 2009: 0 / 1 - 2010: 1 / 1 - 2011: 3 / 3 - 2012: 1 / 2 - 2013: 2 / 2 - 2015: 1 / 1 - 2016: 0 / 1 - 2020: 0 / 1 - 2022: 1 / 1 ## Defining events in these cases - [Aircraft structural failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337): 2 cases - [Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330): 2 cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 2 cases - [Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470): 1 cases - [Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390): 1 cases - [Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360): 1 cases - [Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340): 1 cases - [Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338): 1 cases - [Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333): 1 cases - [Inflight upset](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/271): 1 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Eurocopter EC 130 B4](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-ec-130-b4): 1 cases - [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300): 1 cases - [Cessna 421C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-421c): 1 cases - [Cessna 208B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208b): 1 cases - [Boeing 737-8Q8](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-8q8): 1 cases - [Beech V35A](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-v35a): 1 cases - [Phoenix Air Sro U-15 PHOENIX](https://openairdocs.org/model/phoenix-air-sro-u-15-phoenix): 1 cases - [Berger Michael A WAIEX](https://openairdocs.org/model/berger-michael-a-waiex): 1 cases - [M-Squared SPRINT 1000](https://openairdocs.org/model/m-squared-sprint-1000): 1 cases - [Beam-Walter RS-15](https://openairdocs.org/model/beam-walter-rs-15): 1 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 3 cases - [Wing structure, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035700) (Aircraft): 3 cases - [Thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010) (Environmental issues): 2 cases - [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 2 cases - [Horizontal stabilizer](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035510) (Aircraft): 2 cases - [Not determined, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000) (Not determined): 1 cases - [Equipment design](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04011010) (Organizational issues): 1 cases - [Clouds](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035025) (Environmental issues): 1 cases - [Low ceiling](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035010) (Environmental issues): 1 cases - [Hail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033030) (Environmental issues): 1 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB ERA23FA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA045), Oct 29, 2022: Bearhawk Patrol (N964RS), Hanover Township, PA, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to unlatch his seatbelt during flight, which allowed him to exit the airplane and impact the tail, resulting in a loss of control and impact with terrain. - [NTSB DCA20LA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA20LA107), May 19, 2020: Boeing 737 (N820TJ), Victorville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Improper installation of dorsal fin attach bolts which caused the dorsal fin to separate during flight, substantially damaging the left horizontal stabilizer. - [NTSB GAA16CA308](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA308), Jun 5, 2016: Cessna 208 (N750Z), Fort Dodge, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight crew's failure to install the tail stand prior to passenger boarding, which resulted in a tail strike. - [NTSB CEN15FA268](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15FA268), Jun 14, 2015: Piper PA 32 (N2966X), Cuba, MO, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's continued flight into thunderstorm activity, which resulted in his loss of airplane control, the exceedance of the airplane's design limits, and its subsequent in-flight breakup.… - [NTSB ERA13CA195](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA195), Apr 6, 2013: Phoenix Air U15 (N94DK), Foscoe, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The motorized glider’s encounter with clear air turbulence, which resulted in substantial damage to the empennage. - [NTSB WPR13FA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA086), Jan 7, 2013: Beech V35A (N35SD), Woody, CA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: An in-flight encounter with icing conditions during descent, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall followed by an in-flight… - [NTSB CEN13FA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA073), Nov 27, 2012: Cessna 421C (N67SR), Wells, TX, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue the flight into an area of extreme weather, which led to the in-flight encounter with a thunderstorm and structural failure of the wings and tail. - [NTSB CEN12LA531](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA531), Aug 9, 2012: Ristine Avid Mark IV (N1328L), Poplar Grove, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the lower right side longeron tail-spring support area during landing due to excessive corrosion. - [NTSB WPR12MA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12MA034), Nov 10, 2011: Eurocopter EC 130 B4 (N11QV), Pukoo, HI, substantial damage, 5 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from mountainous terrain while operating in marginal weather conditions, which resulted in the impact of the horizontal stabilizer and lower forward portion… - [NTSB ERA12FA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12FA018), Oct 22, 2011: Berger Michael A Waiex (N75654), Washington, GA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The in-flight failure of the aircraft’s Y-tail attachment structure during maneuvering flight due to overload. Contributing to the accident was, the kit manufacturer’s use of 14 CFR Part 23, Appendix… 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.