# Descent/approach/glide path

- Type: NTSB finding subsection
- Path: [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01) › [Aircraft oper/perf/capability](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0106) › [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010620) › Descent/approach/glide path
- NTSB code: 01062040
- Cases: 810
- In the probable cause: 760
- Fatal cases: 84
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md
- Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?cause=1
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040

## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all)

- 2008: 52 / 55
- 2009: 40 / 42
- 2010: 40 / 44
- 2011: 37 / 39
- 2012: 50 / 56
- 2013: 39 / 40
- 2014: 35 / 37
- 2015: 37 / 39
- 2016: 55 / 57
- 2017: 62 / 64
- 2018: 45 / 46
- 2019: 37 / 40
- 2020: 37 / 40
- 2021: 46 / 48
- 2022: 46 / 49
- 2023: 26 / 29
- 2024: 35 / 38
- 2025: 27 / 32
- 2026: 14 / 15

## Defining events in these cases

- [Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380): 108 cases
- [Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370): 98 cases
- [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 89 cases
- [Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092): 81 cases
- [Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300): 77 cases
- [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 58 cases
- [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 58 cases
- [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 37 cases
- [Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090): 27 cases
- [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 26 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s): 18 cases
- [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n): 16 cases
- [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m): 15 cases
- [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22): 14 cases
- [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152): 12 cases
- [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 9 cases
- [Mooney M20J](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j): 9 cases
- [Cessna 182P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182p): 9 cases
- [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161): 8 cases
- [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150): 8 cases

## Other findings in the same cases

- [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 418 cases
- [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 193 cases
- [Incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015) (Personnel issues): 83 cases
- [Tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020) (Environmental issues): 77 cases
- [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 73 cases
- [Delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025) (Personnel issues): 68 cases
- [Dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020) (Environmental issues): 45 cases
- [Tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015) (Environmental issues): 38 cases
- [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 37 cases
- [Lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030) (Personnel issues): 36 cases

## Newest cases

- [NTSB ERA26LA307](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA307), Aug 14, 2026: Piper PA-28-181 (N586MA), Altoona, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s descent below the glidepath and collision with trees during a missed approach.
- [NTSB WPR26LA286](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA286), Aug 1, 2026: Interstate S-1A (N37248), Blackfoot, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain the proper glidepath during the landing approach, which resulted in a touchdown prior to the runway threshold, impact of the main landing gear with the pavement edge.
- [NTSB ERA26LA259](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA259), Jul 6, 2026: Maule M-5-235C (N9103E), Hickman, KY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper glide path, which resulted in a runway undershoot.
- [NTSB WPR26LA246](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA246), Jul 5, 2026: Schweizer SGS 2-33A (N5790S), Lake Elsinore, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s failure to maintain a proper glidepath, which resulted in a long landing and collision with a person on the ground.
- [NTSB ERA26LA263](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA263), Jul 5, 2026: Ryan Navion A (N5205K), Newport, NH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to attain an appropriate touchdown point, which resulted in a runway overrun.
- [NTSB WPR26LA234](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA234), Jun 23, 2026: Piper PA-12 (N3013M), Dixie, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's delayed decision to initiate a go-around and subsequent failure to maintain clearance from rising terrain.
- [NTSB WPR26LA206](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA206), May 28, 2026: Cessna 177 (N13430), Cascade, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper approach, which resulted in a faster than normal touchdown and subsequent runway overrun.
- [NTSB ERA26LA220](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA220), May 28, 2026: Piper PA-28-180 (N55739), Chesapeake, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper decision to continue with an unstabilized approach, which resulted in a hard landing, loss of directional control, and collision with a runway marker light and sign.
- [NTSB WPR26LA124](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA124), Mar 11, 2026: Cessna T210 (N29138), Upland, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper approach, which resulted in a long landing, runway excursion, and a nose over.
- [NTSB CEN26LA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA122), Feb 21, 2026: Cessna 182 (N7276V), Golden, MO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to establish stabilized approach that would have allowed the airplane to touch down with adequate runway remaining. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to execute…

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.

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