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Fatigue due to work schedule

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NTSB finding · Personnel issues › Physical › Alertness/Fatigue

All 25 cases21 in the probable cause
Cases
25
In the probable cause
21 (84%)
Fatal cases
9
NTSB code
02013520

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\", '02013520') 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\", '02013520'))
  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\", '02013520') 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 · 25

NTSB CEN26LA105Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 441 · Pflugerville, TXThe 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 pilot fatigue which delayed the rejected takeoff.Jan 31, 2026 · N441EC · Substantial damageNTSB WPR24LA265Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportBell 407 · Raft River, IDThe 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 ambient light conditions. Contributing to the accident were the…Aug 3, 2024 · N20BH · Substantial damageNTSB WPR23LA212Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportGrumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B · Colusa, CAThe 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.Jun 4, 2023 · N6750K · Substantial damageNTSB DCA22LA126Incident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing 757-236 · Tulsa, OKThe 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 – including electronic guidance – that they were approaching…Jun 8, 2022 · N949FD · No damageNTSB ERA22LA145Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportAirbus Helicopters MBB-BK 117 C-2 · Abingdon, VAThe pilot’s misalignment of the helicopter skids while landing on a dolly at night, which resulted in the skids becoming entangled with the dolly and a loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s fatigue as a result of the time the accident…Mar 7, 2022 · N29VA · Substantial damageNTSB WPR22FA101Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportMcdonnell Douglas 500N · Newport Beach, CAThe 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…Feb 20, 2022 · N521HB · Substantial damageNTSB WPR21FA231Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportPiper PA-28-140 · Rush Valley, UTThe pilot’s misidentification of a mountain pass at night, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s overconfidence based on her previous aviation experience and fatigue due to both the time of the flight…Jun 18, 2021 · N6323R · Substantial damageNTSB ANC20CA054Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportCessna 120 · Gulkana, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed during final approach to landing, and his subsequent failure to attain sufficient altitude to clear trees during an attempted go-around.May 24, 2020 · N72536 · Substantial damageNTSB CEN20LA136Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Audubon, IAThe pilot’s failure to recognize and avoid the power line during the low-altitude flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s fatigue, which affected the pilot’s ability to see and avoid the power line.Mar 31, 2020 · N107EH · DestroyedNTSB ERA17LA189Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBeech 58 · Augusta, GAThe pilot’s failure to properly configure the airplane for landing. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s fatigue and self-induced distractions.May 24, 2017 · N9132S · Substantial damage
See all 25 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\", '02013520'))
  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.