# Operating environment - Type: NTSB finding subcategory - Path: [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03) › Operating environment - NTSB code: 0301 - Cases: 293 - In the probable cause: 176 - Fatal cases: 48 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0301/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0301/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0301 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 44 / 73 - 2009: 7 / 19 - 2010: 11 / 19 - 2011: 6 / 12 - 2012: 14 / 19 - 2013: 8 / 13 - 2014: 8 / 19 - 2015: 13 / 17 - 2016: 8 / 13 - 2017: 5 / 10 - 2018: 4 / 5 - 2019: 7 / 10 - 2020: 3 / 4 - 2021: 6 / 13 - 2022: 9 / 12 - 2023: 6 / 10 - 2024: 6 / 11 - 2025: 8 / 10 - 2026: 3 / 4 ## Sections - [Airport facilities/design](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030170): 204 cases, 121 in the probable cause - [Air traffic/operating proc](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030140): 40 cases, 23 in the probable cause - [Operating environment, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030100): 14 cases, 8 in the probable cause - [Meteorological services](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030130): 13 cases, 7 in the probable cause - [Communication system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030160): 13 cases, 8 in the probable cause - [Approach aid coverage/avail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030120): 10 cases, 9 in the probable cause - [Radar services/coverage](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030150): 5 cases, 4 in the probable cause - [En route navaid coverage/avail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030110): 1 cases, 1 in the probable cause ## Defining events in these cases - [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 44 cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 24 cases - [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 20 cases - [Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300): 19 cases - [Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200): 18 cases - [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 14 cases - [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 13 cases - [Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241): 10 cases - [Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380): 9 cases - [Wrong surface or wrong airport](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284): 9 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22): 7 cases - [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m): 7 cases - [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s): 5 cases - [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii): 4 cases - [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta): 4 cases - [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n): 4 cases - [Beech A36](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36): 4 cases - [Piper PA-28-151](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-151): 3 cases - [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 3 cases - [Piper PA-22-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-150): 3 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 67 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 57 cases - [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 44 cases - [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 27 cases - [Identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510) (Personnel issues): 24 cases - [Lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030) (Personnel issues): 24 cases - [Incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015) (Personnel issues): 23 cases - [Descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040) (Aircraft): 20 cases - [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 19 cases - [Tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020) (Environmental issues): 17 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB WPR26LA182](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA182), May 12, 2026: American AA-5 (N5832L), Jurupa Valley, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to land at night on a runway without illuminated runway lights. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to review NOTAMs for a nightly airport closure. - [NTSB ANC26LA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA031), Apr 23, 2026: Piper PA-28-151 (N44690), Lapeer, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s failure to maintain airplane control during a takeoff attempt, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, runway excursion, and on ground collision with an object. Contributing… - [NTSB WPR26LA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA122), Mar 6, 2026: Cessna 182M (N71518), Flagstaff, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: Maintenance personnel’s decision to conduct an engine run at takeoff power in front of an active taxiway, and their failure to notify ATC, which resulted in the accident pilot’s loss of control… - [NTSB ERA26LA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA102), Jan 29, 2026: Cessna 172 (N969FG), New Castle, DE, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilots’ failure to properly identify the assigned runway during the landing approach, which resulted in the airplane landing on a closed, snow-covered runway. Contributing was the illumination of… - [NTSB ERA26LA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA015), Oct 10, 2025: Socata TB 10 (N28170), New Milford, CT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to depart from an unlit turf runway at night, which resulted in a loss of directional control, and subsequent runway excursion. - [NTSB CEN25LA354](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA354), Aug 30, 2025: Cessna 152 (N89585), Baldwin City, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue the night landing without runway lights which resulted in the runway overrun. - [NTSB CEN25LA331](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA331), Aug 20, 2025: Elmwood Christavia (N383JA), South Saint Paul, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to land the airplane on a non-approved landing surface. - [NTSB CEN25LA267](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA267), Jul 15, 2025: Air Tractor AT-402B (N647RA), Wyoming, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to attain a positive climb rate due to airplane’s improper takeoff configuration. - [NTSB ERA25LA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA251), Jun 27, 2025: Piper PA-22-135 (N3228B), Elberta, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: Pilot’s decision to take off from a wet and unmaintained field that was unsuitable for airplane operations, resulting in a loss of control and subsequent nose over. Contributing was the pilot’s… - [NTSB ANC25LA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA029), Mar 29, 2025: Cessna 172N (N733KV), Manley Hot Springs, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll on a snow and ice-covered runway, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent nose over. 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.