# Workload management

- Type: NTSB finding section
- Path: [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02) › [Task performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0206) › Workload management
- NTSB code: 020640
- Cases: 49
- In the probable cause: 42
- Fatal cases: 17
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/020640/cases.md
- Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/020640/cases.md?cause=1
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/020640

## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all)

- 2008: 2 / 2
- 2009: 1 / 1
- 2010: 6 / 6
- 2011: 3 / 3
- 2012: 2 / 2
- 2013: 3 / 4
- 2014: 1 / 2
- 2015: 8 / 8
- 2016: 1 / 1
- 2017: 1 / 1
- 2018: 1 / 1
- 2020: 1 / 1
- 2021: 2 / 2
- 2022: 1 / 1
- 2023: 2 / 4
- 2024: 2 / 5
- 2025: 3 / 3
- 2026: 2 / 2

## Findings

- [Task overload](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02064025): 18 cases, 14 in the probable cause
- [Workload management, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02064000): 14 cases, 13 in the probable cause
- [Task allocation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02064020): 12 cases, 10 in the probable cause
- [Task scheduling](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02064010): 5 cases, 5 in the probable cause

## Defining events in these cases

- [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 6 cases
- [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 5 cases
- [Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250): 4 cases
- [Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341): 3 cases
- [Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241): 3 cases
- [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 3 cases
- [Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191): 3 cases
- [Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095): 3 cases
- [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 2 cases
- [Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360): 2 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii): 3 cases
- [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22): 3 cases
- [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m): 3 cases
- [Raytheon A36](https://openairdocs.org/model/raytheon-a36): 2 cases
- [Piper PA 46-350P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-350p): 2 cases
- [Weatherly 620B](https://openairdocs.org/model/weatherly-620b): 1 cases
- [Aerospatiale SA365N-1 DAUPHIN](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-sa365n-1-dauphin): 1 cases
- [Luscombe 8F](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8f): 1 cases
- [Robinson Helicopter R66](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r66): 1 cases
- [Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINER](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-mariner): 1 cases

## Other findings in the same cases

- [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 12 cases
- [Incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015) (Personnel issues): 9 cases
- [Identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510) (Personnel issues): 7 cases
- [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 6 cases
- [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 6 cases
- [Task monitoring/vigilance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520) (Personnel issues): 6 cases
- [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 6 cases
- [Adequacy of policy/proc](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04021015) (Organizational issues): 4 cases
- [Conducive to structural icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031025) (Environmental issues): 4 cases
- [Use of checklist](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030) (Personnel issues): 4 cases

## Newest cases

- [NTSB CEN26LA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA153), Mar 27, 2026: Robinson Helicopter R66 (N4059A), Arlington, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain during the hover taxi.
- [NTSB WPR26LA083](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA083), Jan 19, 2026: Robinson R44 (N996NR), Parkman, WY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilots’ failure to maintain separation while conducting air work in a common operational area. Contributing to the accident was the pilots’ divided attention associated with the mission activity…
- [NTSB ANC25LA117](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA117), Oct 1, 2025: Piper PA-31 (N16SC), Kotlik, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing.
- [NTSB ANC25LA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA064), Jun 30, 2025: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N531AT), Palmer, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s diverted attention during takeoff in flat light conditions, which resulted in a loss of visual reference with terrain.
- [NTSB DCA25MA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25MA108), Jan 30, 2025: Bombardier CL-600-2C10 (N709PS), Washington, DC, destroyed, 67 fatal. Probable cause: The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) placement of a helicopter route in close proximity to a runway approach path; their failure to regularly review and evaluate helicopter routes and…
- [NTSB ANC25LA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA013), Dec 23, 2024: Cessna 182B (N7143E), Waimea, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate monitoring of the fuel status while en route, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
- [NTSB DCA24LA255](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA24LA255), Aug 8, 2024: Airbus A321-231 (N542UW), Waycross, GA, no damage. Probable cause: The aircraft’s encounter with convectively induced turbulence.
- [NTSB WPR24FA238](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA238), Jul 10, 2024: Air Tractor AT-802A (N10122), Helena, MT, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of situational awareness during the water scoop due to task overload while operating in a multi-airplane tactical firefighting environment, which resulted in the pilot’s failure to…
- [NTSB WPR24FA124](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA124), Apr 14, 2024: Gulfstream 695A (N965BC), San Bernardino, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s continued use of the airplane’s autopilot after flight into moderate to severe icing conditions, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an…
- [NTSB DCA24FA143](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA24FA143), Apr 3, 2024: Boeing 737-7CT (N567WN), Gulf of America (Gulf of Mexico), no damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadvertent encounter with convectively induced turbulence from a broken line of embedded thunderstorms moving across the region. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the air…

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted.

Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1).

NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names.

---
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.