Knowledge

NTSB finding section · Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge

Cases
175
In the probable cause
117 (67%)
Fatal cases
32
NTSB code
020320

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 Knowledge per year: 175 cases
20089
20098
20108
201110
20129
20136
20148
201513
20167
20177
201812
20195
20204
20217
202216
202316
202414
202511
20265
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\", '020320') 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 · 9

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\", '020320') 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\", '020320'))
  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\", '020320') 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 · 175

NTSB WPR26LA176Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCameron Balloons US C-80 · Rio Rancho, NMThe passenger’s improper hand placement on the basket upright during landing, which resulted in injury when the upright fractured during the basket’s bounce and drag sequence.May 3, 2026 · N4022X · No damageNTSB DCA26LA167Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing 787-9 · Pacific Ocean (Pacific Ocean)An unanticipated encounter with clear air turbulence while in cruise flight.Mar 29, 2026 · N23994 · No damageNTSB DCA26LA164Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing 737-8 · Dulles, VAThe tug drivers improper positioning of the airplane during pushback, which resulted in the airplane’s jet blast impacting an active gate area during taxi and the subsequent injury to a maintenance technician. Contributing to the accident was the captain’s…Mar 24, 2026 · N17316 · No damageNTSB DCA26LA165Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAirbus A320-232 · Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean)The airplane’s encounter with turbulence resulted in serious injuries to a flight attendant who was not seated due to completion of arrival compliance checks.Mar 19, 2026 · N605JB · No damageNTSB CEN26LA117Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBellanca 8GCBC · De Smet, SDThe pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing.Feb 13, 2026 · N5071K · Substantial damageNTSB WPR25LA284Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCameron Balloons US A-225 · Albuquerque, NMThe balloon pilot’s improper landing, which resulted in serious injury to a passenger. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to brief the proper landing procedure.Sep 15, 2025 · N980VA · No damageNTSB CEN25LA377Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 172F · Lancaster, TXThe pilot’s inadequate fuel planning and failure to monitor the fuel consumption which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.Sep 13, 2025 · N7774A · Substantial damageNTSB CEN25LA337Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBell OH-58A · Caseville, MIThe front seat passenger’s inadvertent movement of the cyclic control resulting in a dynamic rollover after landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to leave the dual flight controls installed with a non-pilot passenger in the front seat.Aug 23, 2025 · N707EE · Substantial damageNTSB DCA25LA267Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing 787 · North Charleston, SCThe ground crews improper parking of N247BZ, which left its tail protruding into the taxiway, and the JA986A flight crew’s failure to maintain adequate clearance while taxiing.Jul 19, 2025 · JA986A · 2 aircraft · Substantial damageNTSB DCA25LA272Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBombardier CL-600-2D24 · Germantown, KYAn inadvertent encounter with severe turbulence during descent.Jul 17, 2025 · N330PQ · No damage
See all 175 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\", '020320'))
  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.