NTSB finding section · Personnel issues › Psychological

Cases
47
In the probable cause
32 (68%)
Fatal cases
24
NTSB code
020225

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 Mental/emotional state per year: 47 cases
20082
20092
20102
20114
20124
20133
20146
20154
20162
20173
20183
20192
20212
20222
20232
20253
20261
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\", '020225') 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.

Subsections · 5

Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT left(f.\"findingCode\", 8) AS code, max(f.\"tier4Name\") AS name,
    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
  WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '020225') AND f.\"findingCode\" GLOB '[0-9][0-9]*'
  GROUP BY 1
  ORDER BY cases DESC, code"

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\", '020225'))
  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\", '020225') 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 · 47

NTSB ERA26LA255Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 172M · Lafayette, TNThe passenger’s abrupt manipulation of the flight controls during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of directional control and collision with a fence.Jun 30, 2026 · N6814H · Substantial damageNTSB CEN26LA057Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportZenith Stol CH701 · Weatherford, OKThe pilot’s improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot being in a rush and failing to note the wind direction and speed.Dec 6, 2025 · N701SA · Substantial damageNTSB WPR25LA110Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Las Vegas, NVThe pilot’s loss of helicopter control after the door opened during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to confirm that the door was properly closed before departure.Mar 10, 2025 · N44KY · Substantial damageNTSB DCA25LA114Occurrence · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportAirbus Industrie A319 · Houston, TXThe failure of the cabin crew to activate the evacuation alarm and to maintain coordinated communication with the flight crew following the cabin crew’s decision to command an evacuation, which resulted in an engine running during the initial evacuation.…Feb 2, 2025 · N837UA · No 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 WPR23LA154Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCessna T337G · Upland, CAThe pilot’s failure to properly flare the airplane, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to fly a nonstandard traffic pattern, which resulted in an unstable approach.Apr 16, 2023 · N38C · Substantial damageNTSB WPR22FA338Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportCzech Sport Piper Sport · Santa Monica, CAThe pilot’s inability to maintain control of the airplane during the landing flare due to the passenger’s excessive control inputs, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and entering an aerodynamic stall.Sep 8, 2022 · N126WK · DestroyedNTSB ERA22LA228Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 172M · Lancaster, NYThe student pilot’s excessive pitch during takeoff resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain. Contributing was the student’s failure to relinquish the controls when ordered by the instructor.May 14, 2022 · N20459 · Substantial damageNTSB CEN22LA043Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 172P · Wheeling, ILThe student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing was the student pilot’s self-induced pressure to land after being admonished by the controller.Nov 21, 2021 · N99715 · Substantial damageNTSB WPR21LA269Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 172R · Petaluma, CAThe pilot’s improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing following a partial loss of electrical power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction and hampered visual function.Jul 10, 2021 · N996RA · Substantial damage
See all 47 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\", '020225'))
  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.