# NTSB investigations: Lack of sleep

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB CEN26LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA033.md): Cessna 182H · Lakeview, AR · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 30, 2025 · N2040X · Substantial damage
  > 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 during landing, and the pilot being fatigued.
- [NTSB WPR22FA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA101.md): Mcdonnell Douglas 500N · Newport Beach, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Feb 20, 2022 · N521HB · Substantial damage
  > The helicopter’s encounter with unanticipated right yaw during a low-altitude, low-airspeed, tight-radius orbit. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction during the orbit, which resulted in the loss of control, his fatigue due to his early…
- [NTSB CEN19MA312](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19MA312.md): Convair 440 · Monclova, OH · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Major · Final report · Sep 11, 2019 · N24DR · Destroyed
  > The flight crew’s failure to maintain the proper airspeed on final approach, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall and impact with trees, and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the flight crew’s fatigue due to the overnight flight schedule.
- [NTSB DCA17IA148](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA17IA148.md): Airbus A320-211 · San Francisco, CA · Incident · No injuries · Class 1 · Incident · Final report · Jul 8, 2017 · C-FKCK · No damage
  > The flight crew's misidentification of taxiway C as the intended landing runway, which resulted from the crewmembers' lack of awareness of the parallel runway closure due to their ineffective review of notice to airmen (NOTAM) information before the flight…
- [NTSB ERA17FA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17FA181.md): Mitsubishi MU2B · Eleuthera, Bahamas · Accident · 4 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 15, 2017 · N220N · Destroyed
  > The pilot's intentional flight into an area of known icing and convective thunderstorm activity, which resulted in a loss of control of the airplane.
- [NTSB ERA17LA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA096.md): Beech 200 · West Palm Beach, FL · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 27, 2017 · N60RA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to ensure that the landing gear were down and locked before touchdown. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s self-reported fatigue at the time of the accident.
- [NTSB WPR16FA087](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA087.md): North American AT 6A · Astoria, OR · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 23, 2016 · N7055D · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of aircraft control during a low-altitude ash dispersal maneuver. Contributing to the accident was his degraded performance due to his medical conditions.
- [NTSB GAA16CA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA121.md): Glines Kenneth Tailwind W 8 · Big Bear, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jan 25, 2016 · N1983T · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadvertent landing off the left side of the snow-covered runway, resulting in a ground loop and nose over.
- [NTSB ERA15FA326](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15FA326.md): Piper PA44 · Houlton, ME · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 27, 2015 · N553MD · Destroyed
  > The pilot's descent below the published minimum descent altitude in night instrument meteorological conditions without visual contact with the runway environment, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain short of the runway. Contributing to the…
- [NTSB WPR14TA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14TA149.md): Bell OH-58A · Tehachapi, CA · Accident · No injuries · Final report · Mar 27, 2014 · N497E · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to attempt a mission at night with known en route weather conditions below operating minimums, likely due to self-induced pressure, and then continue flight beyond the alternate landing airport as weather conditions deteriorated, which…
- [NTSB DCA13MA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA13MA133.md): Airbus A300 - F4 622R · Birmingham, AL · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 1 · Major · Final report · Aug 14, 2013 · N155UP · Destroyed
  > the flight crew's continuation of an unstabilized approach and their failure to monitor the aircraft's altitude during the approach, which led to an inadvertent descent below the minimum approach altitude and subsequently into terrain. Contributing to the…
- [NTSB ERA13CA362](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA362.md): Piper PA-28R-180 · Fredericksburg, VA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 12, 2013 · N4969J · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate pre-flight and in-flight planning and his failure to obtain a weather briefing at his intermediate stops, resulting in a missed approach at his destination and subsequent fuel exhaustion. The pilot’s fatigue due to lack of sleep may…
- [NTSB WPR13LA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA215.md): Arrow Falcon Exporters OH-58A+ · Somerton, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 4, 2013 · N911RN · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering at a low altitude in dark night conditions, which resulted in collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's fatigue due to his working at a time when he normally would…
- [NTSB ERA13MA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13MA139.md): Beech 390 · Thomson, GA · Accident · 5 fatal · Major investigation · Final report · Feb 21, 2013 · N777VG · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to follow airplane flight manual procedures for an antiskid failure in flight and his failure to immediately retract the lift dump after he elected to attempt a go-around on the runway. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's lack of…
- [NTSB WPR13FA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA010.md): Piper PA-28-151 · Marana, AZ · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 15, 2012 · N151SV · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s flight in dark night conditions with no visual reference and his subsequent spatial disorientation.
- [NTSB ERA12FA572](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12FA572.md): Cessna 172S · Land O'Lakes, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 22, 2012 · N21750 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to continue the cross-country flight while fatigued, which resulted in him falling asleep during the initial descent for landing.
- [NTSB CEN12FA521](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA521.md): Ayres S2R-T34 · Lakin, KS · Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 6, 2012 · N365SM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the corn during an aerial application flight.
- [NTSB DCA12FA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA12FA051.md): Convair 440 - NO Series · San Juan, PR · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 1 · Field · Final report · Mar 15, 2012 · N153JR · Destroyed
  > the flight crew's failure to maintain adequate airspeed after shutting down the right engine due to an in-flight fire in one of the right augmentors. The failure to maintain airspeed resulted in either an aerodynamic stall or a loss of directional control.
- [NTSB OPS11IA401](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OPS11IA401.md): Arlington, VA · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Mar 23, 2011 · No damage
  > The tower controller's loss of consciousness induced by lack of sleep, fatigue resulting from working successive midnight shifts, and air traffic control scheduling practices.
- [NTSB ERA11CA180](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA180.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Weston, FL · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 5, 2011 · N4168W · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude and physical alertness which resulted in an in-flight collision with the water. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's fatigue.
- [NTSB ERA11CA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA082.md): Bell 206L-3 · Canal Point, FL · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Dec 8, 2010 · N955GT · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the ground while maneuvering at a low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s fatigue.
- [NTSB ERA11CA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA080.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 · Canal Point, FL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Dec 8, 2010 · N451DB · Substantial damage
  > Pilot fatigue due to lack of sleep resulting in incapacitation (falling asleep) and ground contact while maneuvering at a low altitude.
- [NTSB CEN10FA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10FA101.md): Cessna 172 · Holland, MI · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 17, 2010 · N8405E · Destroyed
  > The pilot's decision to take off in known instrument meteorological conditions without instrument currency or recent instrument experience, which led to spatial disorientation resulting in an inadvertent spin. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack…
- [NTSB CEN09MA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09MA142.md): Aerospatiale Alenia ATR 42-320 · Lubbock, TX · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 1 · Major · Final report · Jan 27, 2009 · N902FX · Substantial damage
  > The flight crew's failure to monitor and maintain a minimum safe airspeed while executing an instrument approach in icing conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at low altitude. Contributing to the accident were 1) the flight crew's failure to…
- [NTSB DCA08MA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA08MA085.md): Raytheon Corporate Jets BAE 125-800A · Owatonna, MN · Accident · 8 fatal · Class 1 · Major · Final report · Jul 31, 2008 · N818MV · Destroyed
  > The captain’s decision to attempt a go-around late in the landing roll with insufficient runway remaining. Contributing to the accident were (1) the pilots’ poor crew coordination and lack of cockpit discipline; (2) fatigue, which likely impaired both pilots’…
- [NTSB SEA08IA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08IA080.md): Bombardier CL-600 · Hilo, HI · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Feb 13, 2008 · N651BR · No damage
  > The captain and first officer inadvertently falling asleep during the cruise phase of flight. Contributing to the incident were the captain's undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea and the flight crew’s recent work schedules, which included several consecutive…

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
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", '02013510'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02013510/cases

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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.
