# Impairment/incapacitation - Type: NTSB finding section - Path: [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02) › [Physical](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0201) › Impairment/incapacitation - NTSB code: 020120 - Cases: 423 - In the probable cause: 363 - Fatal cases: 331 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/020120/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/020120/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/020120 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 25 / 31 - 2009: 22 / 26 - 2010: 26 / 30 - 2011: 36 / 42 - 2012: 28 / 35 - 2013: 21 / 25 - 2014: 33 / 35 - 2015: 31 / 32 - 2016: 16 / 19 - 2017: 22 / 22 - 2018: 13 / 16 - 2019: 24 / 26 - 2020: 13 / 15 - 2021: 8 / 12 - 2022: 23 / 26 - 2023: 6 / 12 - 2024: 11 / 13 - 2025: 4 / 5 - 2026: 1 / 1 ## Findings - [Alcohol](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012015): 87 cases, 81 in the probable cause - [Prescription medication](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012025): 77 cases, 65 in the probable cause - [Cardiovascular](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012050): 69 cases, 61 in the probable cause - [Illicit drug](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012020): 67 cases, 57 in the probable cause - [OTC medication](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012030): 56 cases, 48 in the probable cause - [Impairment/incapacitation, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012000): 40 cases, 37 in the probable cause - [Illness/injury](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012010): 34 cases, 22 in the probable cause - [Other loss of consciousness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012055): 21 cases, 20 in the probable cause - [Hypoxia/anoxia](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012035): 16 cases, 11 in the probable cause - [Neurological](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012045): 16 cases, 13 in the probable cause - [Carbon monoxide](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012040): 12 cases, 12 in the probable cause ## Defining events in these cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 148 cases - [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 35 cases - [Medical event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/850): 33 cases - [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 26 cases - [Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241): 25 cases - [Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220): 20 cases - [Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192): 13 cases - [Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341): 11 cases - [Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470): 9 cases - [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 8 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 7 cases - [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22): 7 cases - [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii): 6 cases - [Cessna 150L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150l): 6 cases - [Beech A36](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36): 6 cases - [Cessna 310R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310r): 5 cases - [Piper PA-31-350](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350): 4 cases - [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30): 4 cases - [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180): 4 cases - [Eurocopter AS 350 B2](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b2): 3 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 165 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 107 cases - [Performance/control parameters, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000) (Aircraft): 77 cases - [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 52 cases - [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 42 cases - [Spatial disorientation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022025) (Personnel issues): 24 cases - [Fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010) (Aircraft): 24 cases - [Angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042) (Aircraft): 23 cases - [Qualification/certification](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010) (Personnel issues): 20 cases - [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 20 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB WPR26LA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA167), Apr 24, 2026: Czech Sport Piper Sport (N610PS), Crownpoint, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to correctly identify the runway, which resulted in a landing on a residential driveway and collision with a gate. - [NTSB WPR26LA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA046), Nov 9, 2025: Michael W Verzwyvelt SS-7 Super Sport (N14PM), Boise, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s operation of the airplane while intoxicated, resulting in its impact with obstacles while on approach. - [NTSB ERA26LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA005), Oct 4, 2025: Bellanca 7GCBC (N289PS), Reedville, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s sudden incapacitation by an episode of abnormal heartbeat due to heart disease during a takeoff attempt, which resulted in a loss of directional control and runway excursion. - [NTSB DCA25LA308](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25LA308), Aug 31, 2025: Airbus Canada BD500 (C-GYLQ), Denver, CO, no damage. Probable cause: Unidentified burned debris in an aft galley oven, which generated smoke and odor in the cabin and led to an air turnback and subsequent evacuation, during which a serious injury occurred. - [NTSB ANC25LA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA036), Apr 25, 2025: Stinson 108 (N9308K), North Pole, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance which resulted in an in-flight collision with a tree. Contributing to the accident was his impairment from the effects of alcohol consumption. - [NTSB DCA25LA185](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25LA185), Apr 17, 2025: Boeing 737 (N7724A), Houston, TX, no damage. Probable cause: Serious Injury to a flight attendant sustained during an evacuation. - [NTSB WPR25FA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25FA062), Dec 16, 2024: American Eurocopter AS350B3 (N617GC), Potrero, CA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of control during cruise flight due to incapacitation for reasons that could not be determined. - [NTSB CEN25LA049](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA049), Nov 24, 2024: Piper PA-28-140 (N6575W), Camdenton, MO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s poor flight planning which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. - [NTSB ERA25LA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA019), Oct 18, 2024: Cessna 150 (N11519), Gainesville, GA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s sudden incapacitation due to an in-flight cardiac arrest, which necessitated a landing by a non-pilot passenger and resulted in a hard landing and collapse of the nose landing gear. - [NTSB WPR25LA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA003), Oct 4, 2024: Raytheon C90A (N6077X), Bakersfield, CA, no damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s incapacitation by an in-flight cardiac event that led to cardiac arrest. 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.