# NTSB phases of flight When 177,594 accidents and incidents NTSB investigated since 1962 happened. From 1962 to 1981 and from 2008 on, NTSB codes phases with the CICTT phases; from 1982 to 2007 with its older phase codes, counted under the CICTT main phase each maps to. Each case counts once, on its first aircraft: by its defining event's phase from 2008, its first event's before 1982, and its first occurrence's from 1982 to 2007. Compare years within an era: a first occurrence (1982 to 2007) is often in flight, before the landing, so landings count lower then. ## Phases - [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (CICTT 550): 53,676 cases, 764 fatal, 15,340 of them in the older codes - [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (CICTT 400): 35,864 cases, 9,802 fatal, 13,740 of them in the older codes - [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (CICTT 500): 20,989 cases, 4,386 fatal, 7,752 of them in the older codes - [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (CICTT 350): 20,554 cases, 3,669 fatal, 7,924 of them in the older codes - [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (CICTT 450): 18,845 cases, 6,439 fatal, 8,025 of them in the older codes - [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (CICTT 300): 14,027 cases, 836 fatal, 4,465 of them in the older codes - [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (CICTT 250): 6,396 cases, 72 fatal, 1,726 of them in the older codes - [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (CICTT 650): 2,195 cases, 1,833 fatal, 122 of them in the older codes - [Standing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/150) (CICTT 150): 2,081 cases, 204 fatal, 832 of them in the older codes - [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (CICTT 990): 1,970 cases, 1,401 fatal, 543 of them in the older codes - [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (CICTT 600): 507 cases, 86 fatal, 148 of them in the older codes - [Other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/800) (CICTT 800): 211 cases, 75 fatal, 116 of them in the older codes - [Prior to flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/100) (CICTT 100): 136 cases, 8 fatal, 0 of them in the older codes - [Pushback/towing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/200) (CICTT 200): 133 cases, 4 fatal, 67 of them in the older codes - [Post-impact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/700) (CICTT 700): 6 cases, 2 fatal, 0 of them in the older codes - [After landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/750) (CICTT 750): 4 cases, 0 fatal, 0 of them in the older codes ## How the older codes (1982 to 2007) are counted | Older code | NTSB's name | Counted as | Note | |---|---|---|---| | 500 | Standing | Standing (150) | | | 501 | Standing - pre-flight | Standing (150) | | | 502 | Standing - starting engine(s) | Standing (150) | | | 503 | Standing - engine(s) operating | Standing (150) | | | 504 | Standing - engine(s) not operating | Standing (150) | | | 505 | Standing - idling rotors | Standing (150) | | | 510 | Taxi | Taxi (250) | | | 511 | Taxi - pushback/tow | Pushback/towing (200) | | | 512 | Taxi - to takeoff | Taxi (250) | | | 513 | Taxi - from landing | Taxi (250) | | | 514 | Taxi - aerial | Taxi (250), closest | A helicopter's hover taxi; CICTT counts it as taxi. | | 520 | Takeoff | Takeoff (300) | | | 521 | Takeoff - roll/run | Takeoff (300) | | | 522 | Takeoff - initial climb | Initial climb (350) | | | 523 | Takeoff - aborted | Takeoff (300) | | | 530 | Climb | Enroute (400), closest | The climb after the initial climb, which CICTT puts in enroute (401, climb to cruise). | | 531 | Climb - to cruise | Enroute (400) | | | 540 | Cruise | Enroute (400) | | | 541 | Cruise - normal | Enroute (400) | | | 542 | Maneuvering - holding (IFR) | Enroute (400) | CICTT 405, enroute holding. | | 550 | Descent | Enroute (400), closest | A normal descent, which CICTT puts in enroute (404). | | 551 | Descent - normal | Enroute (400) | | | 552 | Descent - emergency | Emergency descent (600) | | | 553 | Descent - uncontrolled | Uncontrolled descent (650) | | | 560 | Approach | Approach (500) | | | 561 | Approach - VFR pattern - downwind | Approach (500) | | | 562 | Approach - VFR pattern - base turn | Approach (500) | | | 563 | Approach - VFR pattern - base leg/base to final | Approach (500) | | | 564 | Approach - VFR pattern - final approach | Approach (500) | | | 565 | Go-around (VFR) | Approach (500) | CICTT 509, VFR go-around. | | 566 | Approach - IAF to FAF/outer marker (IFR) | Approach (500) | | | 567 | Approach - FAF/outer marker to threshold (IFR) | Approach (500) | | | 568 | Circling (IFR) | Approach (500) | | | 569 | Missed approach (IFR) | Approach (500) | | | 570 | Landing | Landing (550) | | | 571 | Landing - flare/touchdown | Landing (550) | | | 572 | Landing - roll | Landing (550) | | | 573 | Landing - aborted | Landing (550) | | | 574 | Emergency landing | Landing (550), closest | CICTT has no emergency landing phase; it is a landing. | | 575 | Emergency landing after takeoff | Landing (550), closest | As 574. | | 576 | Emergency descent/landing | Emergency descent (600), closest | Names both; counted as the emergency descent that led to the landing. | | 580 | Maneuvering | Maneuvering (450) | | | 581 | Maneuvering - aerial application | Maneuvering (450) | | | 582 | Maneuvering - turn to reverse direction | Maneuvering (450) | | | 583 | Maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency) | Maneuvering (450) | | | 590 | Hover | Maneuvering (450) | CICTT 453, maneuvering hover. | | 591 | Hover - in ground effect | Maneuvering (450) | | | 592 | Hover - out of ground effect | Maneuvering (450) | | | 600 | Other | Other (800) | | | 610 | Unknown | Unknown (990) | | --- From OpenAirDocs.org, an independent open copy of NTSB and FAA data. The NTSB's own report is the official record of an investigation.