# Alertness/Fatigue - Type: NTSB finding section - Path: [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02) › [Physical](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0201) › Alertness/Fatigue - NTSB code: 020135 - Cases: 97 - In the probable cause: 77 - Fatal cases: 43 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/020135/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/020135/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/020135 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 7 / 8 - 2009: 8 / 11 - 2010: 7 / 8 - 2011: 12 / 13 - 2012: 2 / 5 - 2013: 9 / 10 - 2014: 1 / 1 - 2015: 6 / 6 - 2016: 3 / 7 - 2017: 5 / 6 - 2018: 3 / 3 - 2019: 0 / 1 - 2020: 3 / 5 - 2021: 1 / 1 - 2022: 4 / 5 - 2023: 3 / 4 - 2024: 1 / 1 - 2025: 1 / 1 - 2026: 1 / 1 ## Findings - [Alertness/Fatigue, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02013500): 48 cases, 40 in the probable cause - [Lack of sleep](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02013510): 26 cases, 19 in the probable cause - [Fatigue due to work schedule](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02013520): 25 cases, 21 in the probable cause - [Circadian rhythms or jetlag](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02013515): 9 cases, 7 in the probable cause ## Defining events in these cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 20 cases - [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 11 cases - [Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095): 9 cases - [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 7 cases - [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 6 cases - [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 5 cases - [Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220): 4 cases - [Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470): 3 cases - [VFR encounter with IMC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401): 3 cases - [Wrong surface or wrong airport](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284): 3 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Robinson Helicopter R44](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44): 3 cases - [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 3 cases - [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii): 2 cases - [Piper PA-31-350](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350): 2 cases - [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s): 2 cases - [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n): 2 cases - [Glines Kenneth TAILWIND W-8](https://openairdocs.org/model/glines-kenneth-tailwind-w-8): 1 cases - [Weatherly 620B](https://openairdocs.org/model/weatherly-620b): 1 cases - [Eurocopter France AS350B2](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-france-as350b2): 1 cases - [Eurocopter AS 350 B2](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b2): 1 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 33 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 16 cases - [Dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020) (Environmental issues): 13 cases - [Identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510) (Personnel issues): 11 cases - [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 10 cases - [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 10 cases - [Adequacy of policy/proc](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04021015) (Organizational issues): 8 cases - [Descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040) (Aircraft): 8 cases - [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 8 cases - [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 8 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB CEN26LA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA105), Jan 31, 2026: Cessna 441 (N441EC), Pflugerville, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during a rejected takeoff due to a flat nose wheel tire which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was… - [NTSB CEN26LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA033), Oct 30, 2025: Cessna 182H (N2040X), Lakeview, AR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper approach path during landing which resulted in a collision with terrain short of the runway. Contributing to the accident was the improper flap position… - [NTSB WPR24LA265](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA265), Aug 3, 2024: Bell 407 (N20BH), Raft River, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s misdiagnosis of an erroneous engine instrument indication and his subsequent decision to enter an autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing due to degraded visual cues and low… - [NTSB ERA24LA030](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA030), Oct 31, 2023: Cessna 172 (N140FS), Pembroke Pines, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of airplane control and descent into terrain due to spatial disorientation during a solo night cross country flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s self-reported… - [NTSB WPR23FA257](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23FA257), Jul 8, 2023: Cessna 550 (N819KR), Murrieta, CA, destroyed, 6 fatal. Probable cause: The flight crew’s decision to descend below the decision altitude of an instrument approach without having the appropriate runway visual reference(s) distinctively identified and with the visibility… - [NTSB WPR23LA212](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA212), Jun 4, 2023: Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B (N6750K), Colusa, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a power line during a low-level aerial application flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s fatigue. - [NTSB ERA23FA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA164), Mar 25, 2023: Piper PA-28-161 (N21480), Johns Island, SC, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue flight under visual flight rules into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot’s spatial disorientation and loss of control. Contributing to… - [NTSB ERA23FA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA001), Oct 2, 2022: Cessna 172S (N262TA), Hermantown, MN, substantial damage, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation during initial climb in dark night and low instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a descent into terrain.… - [NTSB WPR22FA354](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA354), Sep 22, 2022: Piper PA-28-140 (N7063R), Sisters, OR, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The non-instrument-rated pilot’s flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was… - [NTSB DCA22LA126](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA22LA126), Jun 8, 2022: Boeing 757-236 (N949FD), Tulsa, OK, incident, no damage. Probable cause: The flight crew’s misidentification of the intended landing runway. Contributing to the incident were (1) the flight crew’s failure to perceive and correctly interpret visual and auditory indicators… 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.