# Aircraft power plant - Type: NTSB finding subcategory - Path: [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01) › Aircraft power plant - NTSB code: 0105 - Cases: 2721 - In the probable cause: 2526 - Fatal cases: 385 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0105/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0105/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0105 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 171 / 197 - 2009: 188 / 205 - 2010: 178 / 190 - 2011: 185 / 201 - 2012: 152 / 165 - 2013: 138 / 145 - 2014: 124 / 130 - 2015: 124 / 136 - 2016: 123 / 128 - 2017: 125 / 136 - 2018: 127 / 134 - 2019: 139 / 146 - 2020: 110 / 119 - 2021: 123 / 143 - 2022: 152 / 164 - 2023: 172 / 175 - 2024: 154 / 161 - 2025: 34 / 39 - 2026: 7 / 7 ## Sections - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010585): 1,225 cases, 1,143 in the probable cause - [Engine fuel and control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010573): 431 cases, 399 in the probable cause - [Power plant](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010571): 266 cases, 233 in the probable cause - [Engine (turbine/turboprop)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010572): 224 cases, 207 in the probable cause - [Ignition system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010574): 189 cases, 167 in the probable cause - [Engine controls](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010576): 189 cases, 180 in the probable cause - [Aircraft power plant, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010500): 151 cases, 127 in the probable cause - [Engine exhaust](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010578): 68 cases, 65 in the probable cause - [Eng oil sys (airframe furnish)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010579): 60 cases, 54 in the probable cause - [Turbocharging (recip only)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010581): 33 cases, 31 in the probable cause - [Accessory gear-boxes](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010583): 19 cases, 17 in the probable cause - [Engine bleed air system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010575): 14 cases, 12 in the probable cause - [Engine starting](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010580): 12 cases, 10 in the probable cause - [Engine indicating system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010577): 7 cases, 5 in the probable cause - [Water injection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010582): 1 cases, 0 in the probable cause ## Defining events in these cases - [Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341): 1,050 cases - [Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342): 626 cases - [Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340): 337 cases - [Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000): 122 cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 107 cases - [Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150): 58 cases - [Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191): 46 cases - [Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190): 37 cases - [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 31 cases - [Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193): 30 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 40 cases - [Beech A36](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36): 33 cases - [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22): 32 cases - [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n): 30 cases - [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300): 26 cases - [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180): 25 cases - [Piper PA-28R-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200): 24 cases - [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152): 22 cases - [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta): 20 cases - [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161): 17 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Not determined, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000) (Not determined): 337 cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 274 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 188 cases - [Installation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035) (Personnel issues): 171 cases - [Oil](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071020) (Aircraft): 136 cases - [Scheduled/routine maintenance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010) (Personnel issues): 129 cases - [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 122 cases - [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 121 cases - [Conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030) (Environmental issues): 118 cases - [Tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020) (Environmental issues): 110 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB CEN26LA211](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA211), Jun 1, 2026: Piper PA-28-235 (N15291), Montevideo, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power on approach due to carburetor icing. - [NTSB ERA26LA176](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA176), Apr 15, 2026: Icon A5 (N558BA), Levittown, PR, substantial damage. Probable cause: An oil line separation at a barbed fitting in an experimental airplane, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to oil starvation. - [NTSB ERA26LA151](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA151), Mar 25, 2026: Piper PA-32-260 (N7081H), Block Island, RI, substantial damage. Probable cause: Maintenance personnel’s failure to ensure that the throttle cable was properly secured to the carburetor, which resulted an inflight separation of the throttle cable and the pilots’ inability to… - [NTSB CEN26LA144](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA144), Mar 18, 2026: Mooney M20 (N1374W), Northlake, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate fuel management which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. - [NTSB WPR26LA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA115), Mar 2, 2026: Mightyfly MF-100 (N258MF), Atwater, CA, destroyed. Probable cause: A control system anomaly, which resulted in the overload and failure of one of the propulsion motor systems during the transition from hover to forward flight. - [NTSB ERA26LA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA105), Feb 1, 2026: Piper J3C (N5930V), Brimfield, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to use carburetor heat during descent in cold temperatures, which resulted in a total loss of engine power at an altitude too low for recovery. - [NTSB ERA26LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA092), Jan 9, 2026: Cessna 172P (N96493), Flemington, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadvertent manipulation of the mixture control, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during initial climb and a subsequent forced lading. - [NTSB WPR26LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA072), Dec 23, 2025: Zenith 750 (N186BG), Yacolt, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. - [NTSB WPR26LA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA056), Dec 8, 2025: Rotorway Exec (C-GBZD), Lake Havasu City, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper securing hardware installation, which resulted in a loss of throttle control and a loss of engine power. - [NTSB WPR26LA049](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA049), Nov 20, 2025: Zenair Stol CH 701 (N43AH), Shady Cove, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper throttle input during an approach, which resulted in a rapid descent, hard landing and runway excursion. 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.