# NTSB investigations: Unauthorized maint/repair

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 ERA25LA295](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA295.md): Cessna 195 · Memphis, TN · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Aug 8, 2025 · N1950C · Substantial damage
  > Failure of the left main landing gear due to the loss of the protective paint coating and a change in the local surface finish from impermissible grinding, which resulted in fatigue cracking.
- [NTSB ERA25LA223](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA223.md): Piper PA22 · Hebron, OH · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jun 7, 2025 · N6804B · Substantial damage
  > The airplane owner and pilot’s intentional allowance of unapproved maintenance and maintenance personnel’s failure to adequately maintain or service the brake system, which resulted in a total loss of brake pressure.
- [NTSB CEN22LA250](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA250.md): Beech 58 · Evansville, IN · Incident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jun 8, 2022 · N78KL · Minor damage
  > The failure of the propeller blade due to high-cycle fatigue that originated from damage that occurred at an unknown time. Contributing to the accident was the failure to identify the damage before the accident flight.
- [NTSB WPR22LA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA090.md): Textron TTX Inc. T240 · Ravendale, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jan 28, 2022 · N420WT · Substantial damage
  > The inadequate maintenance and inspection of the engine induction system, which resulted in the separation of the right induction tube from the turbocharger compressor outlet and the subsequent loss of engine power during departure.
- [NTSB ERA20LA271](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA271.md): American AA 5 · Dunnellon, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Aug 1, 2020 · N7192L · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of improper installation and inspection of the airplane’s fuel system. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of certification and knowledge in aircraft maintenance.
- [NTSB CEN19LA224](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA224.md): Piper PA18 · Osceola, WI · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jul 14, 2019 · N6983B · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the right horizontal stabilizer during takeoff, resulting in a loss of control and forced landing. Contributing to the accident was the installation of an unapproved stabilizer frame and failure of maintenance personnel to identify…
- [NTSB ERA18FA138](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18FA138.md): Piper PA32 · West Milford, NJ · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 2, 2018 · N4153R · Destroyed
  > An in-flight fire and total loss of engine power after takeoff due to a loose fuel line. Contributing to the accident was the installation of an unapproved fuel line by unknown personnel.
- [NTSB WPR16FA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA183.md): Cessna 182P · Gilbert, AZ · Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 18, 2016 · N20844 · Destroyed
  > An inadvertent explosion of pyrotechnics, which were contained in a box that had been installed on the airplane's left main landing gear assembly spring leg which resulted in shrapnel striking the airplane's left wing and breaching the left wing fuel tank,…
- [NTSB CEN16LA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA309.md): Cessna 172K · Neenah, WI · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 2, 2016 · N46459 · Substantial damage
  > A loss of engine power due to oil starvation, which resulted from the pilot, who was not a certified airframe and powerplant mechanic, removing the vacuum pump from the engine, and his misconception that he could operate the airplane without the pump.
- [NTSB ERA16LA066](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA066.md): Raytheon A36 · Fayetteville, NC · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 12, 2015 · N3241N · Substantial damage
  > Maintenance personnel's application of an unapproved sealant to the engine case halves during engine overhaul, contrary to manufacturer's instructions, which resulted in lubrication restriction due to a bearing shift and the subsequent internal failure of the…
- [NTSB WPR15LA141](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA141.md): Piper PA 28R-200 · Santa Maria, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 4, 2015 · N5469T · Substantial damage
  > The engine failure due to oil starvation, which resulted from the installation of an unapproved oil quick drain valve that subsequently led to the inadvertent draining of the oil when the nose landing gear was retracted. Contributing to the accident was the…
- [NTSB ERA14FA049](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA049.md): Piper PA-23-160 · Graniteville, SC · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 25, 2013 · N4016P · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper maintenance of the airplane's fuel system, which resulted a loss of power in the left engine due to fuel starvation. Also causal was the pilot's failure to maintain minimum controllable airspeed following the loss of engine power, which…
- [NTSB ERA13LA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA097.md): Piper PA-28R-200 · Lock Haven, PA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 23, 2012 · N2074T · Substantial damage
  > The reinstallation of improper connecting rods at engine overhaul, which resulted in abnormal wear of the connecting rod bearings; while the bearings did not meet the manufacturer’s specifications, the use of the unapproved connecting rods more likely caused…
- [NTSB DFW08LA223](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW08LA223.md): Rockwell International S-2R · Uvalde, TX · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 1, 2008 · N8472V · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to the improper use of unauthorized replacement parts in the engine and repeated operation of the engine in an over-temperature condition.

## 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", '02062040'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062040/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.
