NTSB investigations, FL

9 cases where the phase of flight was Prior to flight.

Cases per year

20132026
NTSB investigations, FL per year, 2013–2026: 9 cases
20131
20142
20151
20161
20192
20241
20251

Latest cases

Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "WITH phase_names(main, name) AS (VALUES (100, 'Prior to flight'), (150, 'Standing'), (200, 'Pushback/towing'), (250, 'Taxi'), (300, 'Takeoff'), (350, 'Initial climb'), (400, 'Enroute'), (450, 'Maneuvering'), (500, 'Approach'), (550, 'Landing'), (600, 'Emergency descent'), (650, 'Uncontrolled descent'), (700, 'Post-impact'), (750, 'After landing'), (800, 'Other'), (990, 'Unknown')),
    crosswalk(code, main, name) AS (VALUES (500, 150, 'Standing'), (501, 150, 'Standing - pre-flight'), (502, 150, 'Standing - starting engine(s)'), (503, 150, 'Standing - engine(s) operating'), (504, 150, 'Standing - engine(s) not operating'), (505, 150, 'Standing - idling rotors'), (510, 250, 'Taxi'), (511, 200, 'Taxi - pushback/tow'), (512, 250, 'Taxi - to takeoff'), (513, 250, 'Taxi - from landing'), (514, 250, 'Taxi - aerial'), (520, 300, 'Takeoff'), (521, 300, 'Takeoff - roll/run'), (522, 350, 'Takeoff - initial climb'), (523, 300, 'Takeoff - aborted'), (530, 400, 'Climb'), (531, 400, 'Climb - to cruise'), (540, 400, 'Cruise'), (541, 400, 'Cruise - normal'), (542, 400, 'Maneuvering - holding (IFR)'), (550, 400, 'Descent'), (551, 400, 'Descent - normal'), (552, 600, 'Descent - emergency'), (553, 650, 'Descent - uncontrolled'), (560, 500, 'Approach'), (561, 500, 'Approach - VFR pattern - downwind'), (562, 500, 'Approach - VFR pattern - base turn'), (563, 500, 'Approach - VFR pattern - base leg/base to final'), (564, 500, 'Approach - VFR pattern - final approach'), (565, 500, 'Go-around (VFR)'), (566, 500, 'Approach - IAF to FAF/outer marker (IFR)'), (567, 500, 'Approach - FAF/outer marker to threshold (IFR)'), (568, 500, 'Circling (IFR)'), (569, 500, 'Missed approach (IFR)'), (570, 550, 'Landing'), (571, 550, 'Landing - flare/touchdown'), (572, 550, 'Landing - roll'), (573, 550, 'Landing - aborted'), (574, 550, 'Emergency landing'), (575, 550, 'Emergency landing after takeoff'), (576, 600, 'Emergency descent/landing'), (580, 450, 'Maneuvering'), (581, 450, 'Maneuvering - aerial application'), (582, 450, 'Maneuvering - turn to reverse direction'), (583, 450, 'Maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency)'), (590, 450, 'Hover'), (591, 450, 'Hover - in ground effect'), (592, 450, 'Hover - out of ground effect'), (600, 800, 'Other'), (610, 990, 'Unknown')),
    current_codes AS (
      SELECT e.case_mkey, TRY_CAST(e.\"tier1Number\" AS INTEGER) AS code,
        row_number() OVER (PARTITION BY e.case_mkey ORDER BY coalesce(e.\"isDefiningEvent\", false) DESC, e.position) AS n
      FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e
      WHERE e.aircrafts_position = 1 AND e.\"tier1Number\" GLOB '[1-9][0-9]*'
        AND (e.\"isDefiningEvent\" OR e.case_mkey IN (SELECT \"mKey\" FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' WHERE \"isPre1982\"))
    ),
    phases AS (
      SELECT case_mkey, 'current' AS scheme, code, CASE WHEN code >= 990 THEN 990 ELSE code // 50 * 50 END AS main
      FROM current_codes WHERE n = 1
      UNION ALL
      SELECT o.case_mkey, 'older', o.\"phaseOfFlightCode\", w.main
      FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o JOIN crosswalk w ON w.code = o.\"phaseOfFlightCode\"
      WHERE o.aircrafts_position = 1 AND o.\"occurrenceNumber\" = 1 AND o.case_mkey NOT IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM current_codes)
    ),
    case_phases AS (
      SELECT p.*, c.\"eventDate\", c.\"highestInjuryLevel\" = 'Fatal' AS fatal, a.aircraft_model_code
      FROM phases p JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c ON c.\"mKey\" = p.case_mkey
      LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = p.case_mkey AND a.position = 1
      WHERE c.\"eventDate\" >= DATE '1962-01-01' AND p.main IN (SELECT main FROM phase_names)
    )
  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.\"eventStateOrRegion\" = 'FL' AND c.\"eventCountry\" = 'USA'
    AND c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM case_phases WHERE main = 100)
  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.

NTSB ERA25LA199Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 182A · Ocala, FLThe pilot’s decision to depart on the flight with known electrical issues and his subsequent loss of situational awareness (geographic position), which resulted in his eventual decision to perform an off-airport landing.May 8, 2025 · N174A · Substantial damageNTSB ERA24LA250Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportPiper PA28R · Vero Beach, FLExcessive side loading of the vertical stabilizer.Jun 7, 2024 · N287ND · Substantial damageNTSB GAA20CA025Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportCessna 172 · Key West, FLThe pilot’s and the passenger's improper decision to have the passenger attempt to move a wheel chock while the propeller was turning, which resulted in a serious injury.Oct 13, 2019 · N5522S · No damageNTSB ERA20TA005Accident · No injuriesClass 3Final reportSilverlight AR-1 · Fort Meade, FLThe student pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection that failed to detect water contamination of the fuel and resulted in a total loss of engine power during cruise flight.Oct 3, 2019 · N463JW · Substantial damageNTSB GAA16CA162Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportPiper PA24 · Homestead, FLThe pilots decision to hand prop the airplane's engine without securing the airplane, resulting a runaway airplane and collision with a fence.Mar 26, 2016 · N55UA · Substantial damageNTSB GAA15CA008Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportCessna 170A · Palmetto, FLThe pilot's failure to use the proper hand propping procedures, resulting in a runaway airplane.Mar 12, 2015 · N170TW · Substantial damageNTSB ERA14CA397Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportRaytheon G36 · Milton, FLThe pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in an attempted takeoff over the airplane's maximum gross weight and beyond its aft center of gravity limit. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of total flight experience in the aircraft…Aug 20, 2014 · N636TM · Substantial damageNTSB ERA14FA343Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA-32R-301T · North Captiva Island, FLThe pilot’s failure to secure the cargo in the cargo compartment, which resulted in a weight shift that led to the center of gravity exceeding its aft limit during a go-around attempt and a subsequent aerodynamic stall. Also causal to the accident were the…Jul 16, 2014 · N297AS · Substantial damageNTSB DCA13LA039Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBoeing 777 - 300 · Miami, FLLV-BMT flight crew's incorrect evaluation of the clearance between the two aircraft, leading to the inadvertent collision of the left winglet with the horizontal stabilizer and elevator of F-GNZI. Contributing to the accident were the incorrect instructions…Jan 17, 2013 · F-GZNI · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage