NTSB finding · Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation

Cases
21
In the probable cause
20 (95%)
Fatal cases
8
NTSB code
02012055

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
Cases with Other loss of consciousness per year: 21 cases
20081
20113
20131
20143
20151
20162
20171
20181
20191
20212
20223
20231
20251
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\", '02012055') 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

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\", '02012055'))
  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\", '02012055') 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 · 21

NTSB ERA26LA005Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportBellanca 7GCBC · Reedville, VAThe 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.Oct 4, 2025 · N289PS · Substantial damageNTSB WPR24LA003Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 340A · Hayward, CAThe pilot’s sudden incapacitation from effects of a previously undiagnosed underlying heart disease, which resulted in his loss of control of the airplane and subsequent impact with terrain.Oct 2, 2023 · N121CB · Substantial damageNTSB WPR22FA350Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportAerovodochody L-29 Delfin · Reno, NVThe pilot’s in-flight incapacitation due to G-induced loss of consciousness, which resulted in a subsequent impact with terrain.Sep 18, 2022 · N129MM · DestroyedNTSB ERA22FA343Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · FieldFinal reportEurocopter AS350 · Andalusia, ALThe pilot’s acute incapacitation by a syncopal episode, which resulted in the helicopter departing controlled flight and colliding with terrain.Jul 29, 2022 · N124LN · Substantial damageNTSB ERA22LA220Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCirrus Design SR22 · Tybee Island, GAA loss of airplane control due to pilot incapacitation, which resulted in an overflight of his destination and subsequent descent into water.May 6, 2022 · N24LA · Substantial damageNTSB WPR21LA350Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 404 · Sheridan, WYThe pilot experiencing an episode of impaired behavior and incapacitation for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.Sep 18, 2021 · N5409G · Substantial damageNTSB WPR21LA082Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 560 · Warm Springs, ORA loss of airplane control due to pilot incapacitation for reasons that could not be determined.Jan 9, 2021 · N3RB · DestroyedNTSB DCA19CA168Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportBoeing 737-8H4 · Pittsburgh, PAa provisioning truck that impacted the airplane resulting in substantial damage.Jun 17, 2019 · N8608N · Substantial damageNTSB WPR19IA030Incident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · IncidentFinal reportCessna 208 · Bakersfield, CAThe pilot's loss of consciousness while taxiing due to an accumulation of toxic levels of carbon dioxide gas inside the airplane as a result of dry ice sublimation. Also causal was the pilot's decision to fly the airplane in an unventilated configuration, the…Nov 24, 2018 · N781FE · No damageNTSB ERA17FA172Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA31 · Colton, NYThe pilot's incapacitation for unknown reasons, which resulted in an overflight of his destination, a subsequent loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, and collision with terrain.May 4, 2017 · C-GQAM · Destroyed
See all 21 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\", '02012055'))
  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.