# Tailwind

- Type: NTSB finding subsection
- Path: [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03) › [Conditions/weather/phenomena](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0303) › [Wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030340) › Tailwind
- NTSB code: 03034015
- Cases: 594
- In the probable cause: 289
- Fatal cases: 51
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md
- Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?cause=1
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015

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

- 2008: 37 / 43
- 2009: 7 / 21
- 2010: 7 / 27
- 2011: 9 / 34
- 2012: 8 / 26
- 2013: 17 / 39
- 2014: 14 / 35
- 2015: 16 / 29
- 2016: 14 / 33
- 2017: 18 / 54
- 2018: 17 / 54
- 2019: 27 / 43
- 2020: 19 / 23
- 2021: 14 / 30
- 2022: 11 / 26
- 2023: 21 / 28
- 2024: 17 / 24
- 2025: 13 / 20
- 2026: 3 / 5

## Defining events in these cases

- [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 178 cases
- [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 91 cases
- [Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300): 69 cases
- [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 41 cases
- [Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380): 30 cases
- [Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092): 28 cases
- [Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241): 23 cases
- [Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096): 22 cases
- [Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090): 18 cases
- [Loss of tail rotor effectiveness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242): 16 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150): 15 cases
- [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii): 13 cases
- [Cessna 170B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170b): 12 cases
- [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22): 9 cases
- [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s): 9 cases
- [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 7 cases
- [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m): 7 cases
- [Robinson Helicopter R44](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44): 6 cases
- [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta): 5 cases
- [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181): 5 cases

## Other findings in the same cases

- [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 389 cases
- [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 187 cases
- [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 176 cases
- [Gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045) (Environmental issues): 73 cases
- [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 67 cases
- [Descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040) (Aircraft): 38 cases
- [Crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040) (Environmental issues): 33 cases
- [Incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015) (Personnel issues): 29 cases
- [Landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041) (Aircraft): 29 cases
- [High density altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020) (Environmental issues): 28 cases

## Newest cases

- [NTSB WPR26LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA222), Jun 17, 2026: Cessna 172S (N96FA), Death Valley, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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.
- [NTSB CEN26LA170](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA170), Apr 17, 2026: Piper PA 31P 350 (N9262Y), Ardmore, OK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane while landing on a wet runway with a tailwind.
- [NTSB ERA26LA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA227), Mar 22, 2026: Cessna 172R (N870CP), Maiden, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in a rejected takeoff from a tailwind departure and subsequent runway excursion.
- [NTSB WPR26LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA135), Mar 20, 2026: Cessna 195 (N9368A), Big Bear, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a quartering tailwind.
- [NTSB WPR26LA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA088), Jan 21, 2026: Jordan Valley CCX-2000 (N972WY), Alcova, WY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's excessive brake application during the landing roll resulting in a nose over.
- [NTSB CEN26LA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA057), Dec 6, 2025: Zenith Stol CH701 (N701SA), Weatherford, OK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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.
- [NTSB ERA26LA059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA059), Nov 30, 2025: Columbia Aircraft Mfg LC41-550FG (N1294P), Chatham, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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.
- [NTSB WPR26LA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA018), Oct 9, 2025: Cessna 180 (N249MD), Imnaha, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s continued application of brakes during an aborted takeoff in a tailwind on down-sloping terrain, which resulted in a nose-over.
- [NTSB ERA26LA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA013), Oct 4, 2025: Cessna T182T (N423TA), Venice, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while taxiing in gusty, quartering tailwind conditions.
- [NTSB ANC25LA120](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA120), Sep 14, 2025: Piper PA-18-150 (N3797Z), St Mary's, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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.

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.

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