NTSB finding · Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence

Cases
92
In the probable cause
60 (65%)
Fatal cases
22
NTSB code
03032000

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 Turbulence, general per year: 92 cases
200810
20098
201011
20119
20125
20132
20144
20155
20162
20174
20183
20191
20203
20214
20227
20234
20245
20252
20263
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\", '03032000') 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\", '03032000'))
  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\", '03032000') 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 · 92

NTSB CEN26LA209Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBellanca 7GCBC · Jonesboro, ARThe student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to practice slow flight maneuvers at an…May 30, 2026 · N90932 · Substantial damageNTSB DCA26LA185Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing 737-8 · Providence, RIThe airplane’s encounter with turbulence during descent resulting in a serious injury to a flight attendant.Apr 16, 2026 · N8787K · No damageNTSB CEN26LA085Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportQuad City Challenger · Greenbrier, ARThe non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the landing.Jan 6, 2026 · N194JR · Substantial damageNTSB WPR25LA287Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBriseno Samuel Kolb Firefly · Cave Junction, ORThe non-certificated pilot's improper landing flare in turbulent wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing.Sep 13, 2025 · N139SB · Substantial damageNTSB DCA25LA241Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing 737-8H4 · Barlow Bend, ALThe airplane’s encounter with unanticipated turbulence during descent, resulting in a serious injury to a flight attendant.Jun 18, 2025 · N8685B · No damageNTSB DCA25LA023Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing 767-322 · Kingston, JamaicaAn inadvertent encounter with convective turbulence while in enroute cruise flight.Nov 3, 2024 · N651UA · No damageNTSB DCA24LA256Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing 737 · Severn, MDA passenger’s failure to comply with crew member instructions to remain seated with seatbelt fastened.Aug 7, 2024 · N226WN · No damageNTSB CEN24FA179Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportPiper PA46-500TP · Marianna, ARThe pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s design limitations, which resulted in an in-flight breakup.May 13, 2024 · N241PM · Substantial damageNTSB WPR24LA111Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportPiper Aerostar 601P · Grass Valley, CAThe pilot’s failure to maintain directional control in a gusting wind condition.Mar 14, 2024 · N1SS · Substantial damageNTSB WPR24FA105Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportPiper PA-32-260 · Madras, ORThe pilot’s continued visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an encounter with turbulence and structural icing conditions, loss of control, and subsequent impact with terrain.Mar 10, 2024 · N3264W · Destroyed
See all 92 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\", '03032000'))
  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.