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Post maintenance inspection

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NTSB finding · Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection

All 57 cases51 in the probable cause
Cases
57
In the probable cause
51 (89%)
Fatal cases
15
NTSB code
02061515

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\", '02061515') 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\", '02061515'))
  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\", '02061515') 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 · 57

NTSB ERA26LA009Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 182H · Smithfield, RIMaintenance personnel’s improper rigging of the elevator trim system, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing was the maintenance personnel and pilot’s failure to perform adequate post maintenance/preflight inspections.Oct 4, 2025 · N1998X · Substantial damageNTSB WPR25FA146Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportCessna 177RG · Grass Valley, CAAn improperly tightened B-nut fitting at the fuel flow divider, which resulted in a fuel leak and loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, and the inadequate maintenance inspection, which failed to detect and correct the discrepancy.May 1, 2025 · N52156 · Substantial damageNTSB ERA24LA179Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCessna R172 · Rocky Mount, NCThe pilot and mechanic’s failure to identify and completely eliminate the water and debris contamination present in the airplane’s fuel system before embarking on the flight, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.Apr 15, 2024 · N3FR · Substantial damageNTSB DCA24LA079Incident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing 747-87UF · Miami, FLMaintenance personnel’s improper installation and inspection of the port M borescope plug, which resulted in an engine fire.Jan 19, 2024 · N859GT · Minor damageNTSB ERA23LA225Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportMooney M20K · Hillsborough Township, NJThe partial loss of engine power due to maintenance personnel’s failure to ensure that the ignition harnesses were properly secured and the pilot’s inappropriate pitch control inputs, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and…May 6, 2023 · N262MK · Substantial damageNTSB ERA23LA002Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAeronca 7AC · Murray, KYThe incorrect (reverse) rigging of the elevator cables by maintenance personnel and their subsequent failure to verify that the rigging was correct during post-maintenance checks and the pilot's inadequate preflight check.Oct 2, 2022 · N3005E · Substantial damageNTSB CEN22FA419Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportPiper PA-28R-201 · Conway, SCThe mechanic’s failure to install the required gasket on the vacuum pump drive pad in accordance with the maintenance manual, which resulted in oil exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the Director of…Sep 14, 2022 · N62FC · DestroyedNTSB ERA22FA257Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · FieldFinal reportBell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 · Fairfield, NJThe failure of maintenance personnel to properly secure the tail rotor crosshead drive plate and the failure of maintenance personnel, the maintenance pilot, and the accident pilot to detect the error, which led to the helicopter’s loss of tail rotor…Jun 4, 2022 · N98ZA · Substantial damageNTSB ERA22LA231Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportEurocopter AS355 · Palm Beach, FLThe pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in the unlatched engine cowling opening and being struck by a main rotor blade during flight. Contributing to the accident was the mechanic’s failure to properly secure the cowling following…May 19, 2022 · N448JM · Substantial damageNTSB ANC22FA018Accident · 4 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportSikorsky S-61N · Kekaha, HIThe improper installation of the fore/aft primary servo by maintenance personnel, which resulted in the attaching hardware backing out and which subsequently rendered the helicopter uncontrollable. Contributing to the accident was the company’s quality…Feb 22, 2022 · N615CK · Destroyed
See all 57 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\", '02061515'))
  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.