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NTSB finding · Organizational issues › Development › Design

All 17 cases15 in the probable cause
Cases
17
In the probable cause
15 (88%)
Fatal cases
4
NTSB code
04011025

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

Where

Open the map
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\", '04011025') 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

Defining events
Aircraft models

Aircraft matched to the registry by N-number and date.

Other findings
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\", '04011025'))
  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\", '04011025') 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 · 17

NTSB DCA25MA108Accident · 67 fatalClass 1 · MajorFinal reportBombardier CL-600-2C10 · Washington, DCThe Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) placement of a helicopter route in close proximity to a runway approach path; their failure to regularly review and evaluate helicopter routes and available data, and their failure to act on recommendations to…Jan 30, 2025 · N709PS · 2 aircraft · DestroyedNTSB ERA24LA216Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportApellix B1 Washing Drone · Orlando, FLA failure of the sUAS’s magnetometer while operating in close proximity to commercial air conditioning equipment, which resulted in the sUAS’s erratic maneuvering. Contributing to the accident was the RPIC’s failure to input the appropriate command to disarm…Feb 20, 2024 · FA33N7WLTR · Substantial damageNTSB DCA20IA081Incident · No injuriesClass 3 · IncidentFinal reportAerospatiale AS350BA · Johnson Valley, CAthe failure of the small UAS remote pilot to give way to the helicopter, resulting in an inflight collision. Contributing to the incident was the sUAS remote pilot’s failure to assess and mitigate the risks of operations in close proximity to other aircraft.…Feb 6, 2020 · N611TC · 2 aircraft · Minor damageNTSB WPR17LA159Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Van Nuys, CAAn improper repair of the right magneto's tachometer and governor signal wire, which failed during cruise flight and initiated a simultaneous malfunction of both the engine tachometer and governor control system, which resulted in erroneous and contradictory…Jul 21, 2017 · N3254E · Substantial damageNTSB CEN17LA264Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 47D1 · Big Lake, MNThe failure of the metal core assembly within a wooden main rotor blade due to undetected corrosion and fatigue, which caused the wooden blade to separate from the rotor mast.Jul 6, 2017 · N153B · Substantial damageNTSB GAA16CA442Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportCessna 172 · Anchorage, AKThe facility's designation of the taxiway for use by maintenance personnel to conduct high thrust tests without appropriate safeguards in place, which led to maintenance personnel conducting high-power, run-up thrust procedures across the active taxiway and…Aug 20, 2016 · N35408 · Substantial damageNTSB DCA16FA199Accident · 2 fatalClass 2 · FieldFinal reportBell 525 · Italy, TXA severe vibration of the helicopter that led to the crew's inability to maintain sufficient rotor rotation speed (Nr), leading to excessive main rotor blade flapping, subsequent main rotor blade contact with the tail boom, and the resultant in-flight…Jul 6, 2016 · N525TA · DestroyedNTSB WPR14LA201Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSchweizer G 164B · Biggs, CAThe assembler’s improper fabrication of a fuel line (hose) and the subsequent failure to verify that it was not occluded, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power during takeoff.May 13, 2014 · N3633C · Substantial damageNTSB CEN13LA283Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAir Tractor AT-302 · Winnie, TXThe improper decision by the pilot to attempt a flight with a known fuel system-related maintenance discrepancy, which resulted in a fuel imbalance and subsequent fuel starvation during an approach to an alternate airport with a rough field. Contributing to…May 9, 2013 · N3650B · Substantial damageNTSB ERA13LA065Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBeech C90A · Roanoke, VAThe failure of the right main landing gear bearing actuator support brackets. Contributing to the accident was the owner's and operator's failure to comply with the airplane manufacturer's mandatory service bulletin and the Federal Aviation Administration's…Nov 20, 2012 · N702DK · Substantial damage
See all 17 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\", '04011025'))
  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.