OpenAirDocs.org

Standard operating practices

Open the Markdown

NTSB finding · Organizational issues › Management › Culture

All 10 cases8 in the probable cause
Cases
10
In the probable cause
8 (80%)
Fatal cases
6
NTSB code
04024015

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\", '04024015') 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\", '04024015'))
  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\", '04024015') 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 CEN19FA072Accident · 3 fatalClass 1 · FieldFinal reportBell 407 · Zaleski, OHThe NTSB determines that the probable cause of this accident was Survival Flight's inadequate management of safety, which normalized pilots' and operations control specialists' noncompliance with risk analysis procedures and resulted in the initiation of the…Jan 29, 2019 · N191SF · DestroyedNTSB ANC17LA051Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportLeonardo AW139 · Tujunga, CAA yaw excursion and uncontrolled descent due to loss of tail rotor effectiveness during aerial firefighting operations resulting in an impact with trees. A contributing factor was the pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient airspeed, coupled with a quartering…Sep 2, 2017 · N304FD · Substantial damageNTSB ANC15MA041Accident · 9 fatalClass 1 · MajorFinal reportDehavilland DHC-3 · Ketchikan, AK(1) the pilot's decision to continue visual flight into an area of instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his geographic disorientation and controlled flight into terrain; and (2) Promech's company culture, which tacitly endorsed flying in…Jun 25, 2015 · N270PA · Substantial damageNTSB OPS14IA007Incident · Minor injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportBoeing 757 · Powhatan, VAThe air traffic controller’s failure to provide required advisories about significant radar-observed convective precipitation along both airplanes’ flight routes and the air route traffic control center’s lack of a program to ensure that air traffic…Apr 29, 2014 · UNK · Minor damageNTSB CEN14GA135Accident · 1 fatalFinal reportCessna 210E · Oden, ARThe pilot’s improper decision to fly into an area with reported marginal meteorological conditions in an airplane not maintained for instrument flight and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from trees and terrain.Jan 31, 2014 · N4957U · Substantial damageNTSB WPR12FA420Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA-28-181 · Strawberry, AZThe flight instructor's and the evaluator's failure to divert at an appropriate time during cruise flight, which resulted in the airplane's inability to maintain a sufficient altitude to clear rising terrain. Contributing to the accident was the flight…Sep 13, 2012 · N4188E · Substantial damageNTSB DCA12FA076Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportHawker Hawker Hunter MK.58A · Point Mugu, CAthe pilot's decision to continue the flight with a known fuel imbalance condition that resulted in a loss of lateral control when the imbalance exceeded the known capabilities of the airplane. The fuel imbalance was due to incomplete refueling and an…May 18, 2012 · N329AX · DestroyedNTSB CEN09LA525Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCessna 182 · Caddo Mills, TXThe failure of the operator to ensure that the airplane engine was shutdown during passenger unloading and the lack of adequate supervision of the passenger by the pilot and ground crewmember.Aug 15, 2009 · N2364G · Minor damageNTSB LAX08PA259Accident · 9 fatalClass 1Final reportSikorsky S-61N · Weaverville, CAThe following actions by Carson Helicopters: 1) the intentional understatement of the helicopter's empty weight, 2) the alteration of the power available chart to exaggerate the helicopter's lift capability, and 3) the practice of using unapproved…Aug 6, 2008 · N612AZ · DestroyedNTSB SEA08IA096Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportRaytheon 1900D · Page, AZThe flight crew’s unprofessional behavior and deviation from standard operating procedures which resulted in an in-flight emergency.Mar 26, 2008 · N261GL · Minor 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\", '04024015'))
  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.