# NTSB investigations: Vertical stabilizer

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB ERA24LA250](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA250.md): Piper PA28R · Vero Beach, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jun 7, 2024 · N287ND · Substantial damage
  > Excessive side loading of the vertical stabilizer.
- [NTSB CEN24LA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA035.md): Grassman Timothy B RV-14A · Houston, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Nov 3, 2023 · N5875G · Substantial damage
  > The bird strike to the airplane’s vertical stabilizer during an approach for landing.
- [NTSB WPR17FA134](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17FA134.md): Jordan John RV7 · Arlington, AZ · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 27, 2017 · N731RV · Destroyed
  > The inflight overstress separation of the vertical stabilizer and rudder during flight which resulted in the pilot's inability to maintain airplane control. Contributing to the accident was an inflight collision with a bird.
- [NTSB WPR17LA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA034.md): Bell OH 58A · Sacramento, CA · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Dec 4, 2016 · N916PD · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the vertical stabilizer due to fatigue.
- [NTSB CEN16LA281](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA281.md): Vans RV9 · Springfield, OH · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 22, 2016 · N807LK · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s decision to fly into known thunderstorms, which resulted in an in-flight breakup.
- [NTSB ERA15FA331](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15FA331.md): Cornell W F/Sahakian J A JR Giles 202 (G202) · Newburgh, NY · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 28, 2015 · N18FJ · Destroyed
  > Separation of the vertical and horizontal stabilizers from the fuselage due to a fracture that initiated at the bond between the left horizontal stabilizer and the flange that attached the horizontal stabilizer to the fuselage skin. The failure was likely…
- [NTSB CEN14LA508](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA508.md): Brupbacher Chris CB2000 · Reserve, LA · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 21, 2014 · N5002E · Destroyed
  > The failure of the flight control rod bearing due to an undetected preexisting corrosion-induced crack, which resulted in the main rotor blades going to full pitch and the rotor mast folding; this allowed the pusher propeller to strike and sever the tail.
- [NTSB WPR11FA155](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11FA155.md): Muse KR2 · Newberry Springs, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 7, 2011 · N122B · Substantial damage
  > The airplane’s encounter with severe turbulence, which resulted in the in-flight breakup of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning.
- [NTSB CEN09LA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA023.md): Piper PA-36-285 · Silverton, TX · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 18, 2008 · N57740 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a transmission wire.
- [NTSB LAX08LA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08LA160.md): Quad City Ultralight Challenger LSS · Moses Lake, WA · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · May 31, 2008 · N95478 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inability to maintain control due to an in-flight separation of the vertical fin as a result of the failure of the airplane's builder to properly secure the vertical fin to the fuselage.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
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", '01035530'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035530/cases

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