Water/moisture

NTSB finding · Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance

Cases
10
In the probable cause
5 (50%)
Fatal cases
0
NTSB code
03022057

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 Water/moisture per year: 10 cases
20091
20131
20141
20161
20173
20191
20252
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\", '03022057') 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

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\", '03022057'))
  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\", '03022057') 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 · 10

NTSB CEN26LA084Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 172 · Taylor, TXThe pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection that resulted in a loss of engine power due to water contamination.Dec 26, 2025 · N172BX · Substantial damageNTSB WPR25LA112Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportEnstrom 280FX · Waterford, CAThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from water while operating at a low altitude.Mar 15, 2025 · N402TA · DestroyedNTSB GAA19CA325Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAviat A1 · Pingree, IDThe pilot's improper rudder application during landing on a dirt airstrip, which resulted in a loss of directional control, runway excursion, and subsequent nose-overJun 9, 2019 · N35AH · Substantial damageNTSB ERA17LA268Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCessna 140 · Mount Sterling, KYA total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.Aug 5, 2017 · N89738 · Substantial damageNTSB ERA17LA254Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCessna 152 · Tamarac, FLThe flight instructor's failure to ensure that the airplane's fuel system was free of water contamination before departing, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing.Jul 20, 2017 · N714UY · Substantial damageNTSB ERA17CA208Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportPiper PA23 · Cedar Key, FLThe pilot's failure to stop the airplane within the available runway after conducting the approach and landing with a tailwind.Jun 16, 2017 · N4317Y · Substantial damageNTSB ERA16LA230Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPiper PA28 · Hollywood, FLThe pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection of the fuel system, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to water contamination.Jun 25, 2016 · N9836W · Substantial damageNTSB WPR14LA340Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 269C · Darrington, WAMaintenance personnel’s failure to secure the throttle mount bracket during a recent engine installation, which resulted in the loss of throttle movement and an inability to control engine power.Aug 11, 2014 · N7432F · Substantial damageNTSB ERA13IA114Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportCessna 560XL · Debary, FLAn accumulation of debris in the airplane’s bilge drain holes that prevented accumulated moisture from properly draining; the accumulated moisture subsequently froze around the elevator control components, which resulted in the flight control stiffness.…Jan 13, 2013 · N662QS · No damageNTSB WPR10LA083Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPiper PA-22-160 · San Jose, CAA total loss of engine power due to water contamination in the fuel system as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.Dec 15, 2009 · N9547D · Substantial damage
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\", '03022057'))
  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.