Tailwind

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

Cases
594
In the probable cause
289 (49%)
Fatal cases
51
NTSB code
03034015

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 Tailwind per year: 594 cases
200843
200921
201027
201134
201226
201339
201435
201529
201633
201754
201854
201943
202023
202130
202226
202328
202424
202520
20265
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\", '03034015') 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\", '03034015'))
  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\", '03034015') 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 · 594

NTSB WPR26LA222Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 172S · Death Valley, CAThe pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed and encounter with a tailwind while landing on a rough runway, which resulted in a runway overrun and subsequent nose over.Jun 17, 2026 · N96FA · Substantial damageNTSB CEN26LA170Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportPiper PA 31P 350 · Ardmore, OKThe pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane while landing on a wet runway with a tailwind.Apr 17, 2026 · N9262Y · Substantial damageNTSB ERA26LA227Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 172R · Maiden, NCThe flight instructor’s inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in a rejected takeoff from a tailwind departure and subsequent runway excursion.Mar 22, 2026 · N870CP · Substantial damageNTSB WPR26LA135Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 195 · Big Bear, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a quartering tailwind.Mar 20, 2026 · N9368A · Substantial damageNTSB WPR26LA088Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportJordan Valley CCX-2000 · Alcova, WYThe pilot's excessive brake application during the landing roll resulting in a nose over.Jan 21, 2026 · N972WY · Substantial damageNTSB CEN26LA057Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportZenith Stol CH701 · Weatherford, OKThe pilot’s improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot being in a rush and failing to note the wind direction and speed.Dec 6, 2025 · N701SA · Substantial damageNTSB ERA26LA059Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportColumbia Aircraft Mfg LC41-550FG · Chatham, MAThe pilot’s failure to attain a proper touchdown point while landing with a quartering tailwind, which resulted in a long landing and subsequent runway excursion.Nov 30, 2025 · N1294P · Substantial damageNTSB WPR26LA018Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 180 · Imnaha, ORThe pilot’s continued application of brakes during an aborted takeoff in a tailwind on down-sloping terrain, which resulted in a nose-over.Oct 9, 2025 · N249MD · Substantial damageNTSB ERA26LA013Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna T182T · Venice, FLThe pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while taxiing in gusty, quartering tailwind conditions.Oct 4, 2025 · N423TA · Substantial damageNTSB ANC25LA120Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportPiper PA-18-150 · St Mary's, AKThe pilot’s improper decision to takeoff with a tailwind, from a short off-airport strip, which degraded the climb performance of the airplane and led to impact with trees at the end of the strip.Sep 14, 2025 · N3797Z · Substantial damage
See all 594 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\", '03034015'))
  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.