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Impairment/incapacitation, general

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NTSB finding · Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation

All 40 cases37 in the probable cause
Cases
40
In the probable cause
37 (93%)
Fatal cases
31
NTSB code
02012000

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008. Earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes, so they aren’t counted here.

When and where

In green, cases where NTSB made it part of the probable cause; in gray, a factor or other finding. Findings are coded with the final report, often a year or more after the event, so the latest years are incomplete.

Cases per year

2008In the probable causeFactor only2026

Where

Open the map
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT year(c.\"eventDate\") AS year, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases,
    count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) FILTER (WHERE f.\"inProbableCause\") AS in_probable_cause
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c ON c.\"mKey\" = f.case_mkey
  WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '02012000') AND c.\"eventDate\" >= DATE '2000-01-01'
  GROUP BY 1
  ORDER BY 1"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

In the same cases

Defining events
Aircraft models

Aircraft matched to the registry by N-number and date.

Other findings
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "WITH matched AS (SELECT DISTINCT case_mkey, aircrafts_position FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' WHERE starts_with(\"findingCode\", '02012000'))
  SELECT * FROM (
  SELECT 'Defining event' AS kind, e.\"tier2Number\" AS code, max(e.\"eventTier2Name\") AS name, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e ON e.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND e.aircrafts_position = f.aircrafts_position AND e.\"isDefiningEvent\"
  WHERE e.\"tier2Number\" <> ''
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Aircraft model', a.aircraft_model_code, any_value(concat_ws(' ', m.manufacturer, m.model)), count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey)
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND a.position = f.aircrafts_position
  LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/faa_aircraft_model.parquet' m ON m.code = a.aircraft_model_code
  WHERE a.aircraft_model_code IS NOT NULL
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Other finding', left(g.\"findingCode\", 8), max(g.\"tier4Name\"), count(DISTINCT g.case_mkey)
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' g
  WHERE g.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM matched) AND NOT starts_with(g.\"findingCode\", '02012000') AND g.\"findingCode\" GLOB '[0-9][0-9]*'
  GROUP BY ALL
  )
  QUALIFY row_number() OVER (PARTITION BY kind ORDER BY cases DESC) <= 10
  ORDER BY kind, cases DESC"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

Newest cases · 40

NTSB WPR25FA062Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportAmerican Eurocopter AS350B3 · Potrero, CAThe pilot’s loss of control during cruise flight due to incapacitation for reasons that could not be determined.Dec 16, 2024 · N617GC · Substantial damageNTSB CEN24FA089Accident · 3 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportCessna 310R · Poolville, TXPilot incapacitation for undetermined reasons which resulted into controlled descent into terrain.Jan 14, 2024 · N252DL · DestroyedNTSB WPR23FA301Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportGlasair Glastar · Idaho City, IDThe pilot’s loss of airplane control during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined.Aug 4, 2023 · N617G · Substantial damageNTSB CEN22FA405Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportCirrus SR22 · Tomball, TXThe flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the flight, which allowed for an unintentional movement of the mixture control to the cutoff position that remained unnoticed until the airplane lost engine power due to fuel starvation and descended below the…Sep 1, 2022 · N420SS · Substantial damageNTSB CEN22FA100Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportBell 407 · Houma, LAThe pilot’s sudden loss of consciousness for undetermined reasons during cruise flight, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain.Jan 14, 2022 · N167RL · DestroyedNTSB CEN22FA021Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportBeech B36TC · Lena, WIImpairment and subsequent incapacitation of the pilot for reasons that could not be determined. The incapacitation resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Likely contributing was pilot hypoxia due to altitude exposure, possibly worsened by…Oct 27, 2021 · N75RM · Substantial damageNTSB CEN20LA407Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportQuicksilver MX II · Marengo, INA loss of engine power due to carburetor icing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to operate the airplane in conditions conducive to carburetor icing without a carburetor heating system, contrary to the engine manufacturer’s guidance.Sep 21, 2020 · UNREG · Substantial damageNTSB CEN20LA122Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 208 · LaCrosse, KSAn infight loss of control as a result of pilot impairment, the cause of which could not be determined.Mar 17, 2020 · N274PM · DestroyedNTSB ERA20FA022Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportBeech 58 · Ocala, FLThe pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane due to an acute medical event and/or his use of impairing medications.Oct 31, 2019 · N959CM · DestroyedNTSB CEN19FA259Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportAir Tractor AT502 · Sumner, IAThe pilot’s impairment by medical conditions and/or medications, which resulted in the airplane’s impact with power lines and terrain.Aug 8, 2019 · N6113C · Destroyed
See all 40 cases
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "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\", '02012000'))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.