# NTSB investigations, TN: Emergency descent

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB ERA26LA327](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA327.md): Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta · McMinnville, TN · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Sep 3, 2026 · N276SH · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA20LA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA309.md): Piper PA28 · McMinnville, TN · Accident · 3 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 8, 2020 · N4166Z · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to a fatigue failure in a cylinder, and the pilot’s subsequent failure to maintain airspeed and her exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack while maneuvering at low altitude.
- [NTSB ERA14LA311](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA311.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Nashville, TN · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 24, 2014 · N544BS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain rotor rpm during an autorotation after a perceived partial loss of power, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was radio frequency interference with the governor controller, which resulted in an…
- [NTSB ATL06CA004](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL06CA004.md): Beech F33A · Millington, TN · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 12, 2005 · N273PS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper fuel management resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and misjudged distance to the forced landing area resulting in a stall and collision…
- [NTSB ATL04LA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA035.md): Cessna 210D · Millington, TN · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 9, 2003 · N3728Y · Substantial damage
  > The malfunction of the main hydraulic landing gear system actuator resulting in an emergency gear up landing.
- [NTSB ATL03LA026](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03LA026.md): Preceptor Ultra pup · Smithville, TN · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 22, 2002 · N5178D · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning of fuel resulted in fuel starvation, the total loss of engine power and the subsequent forced landing.
- [NTSB ATL88LA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL88LA018.md): Burkhart Grob G-102 · Whitwell, TN · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 18, 1987 · N792G · Substantial damage
  > The glider plt made an off-arpt ldg after realizing that he didn't have enough altitude to return to his departure point. During ldg rollout on uneven terrain, one of the wingtips contacted the terrain and the glider ground-looped.
- [NTSB IAD78FKW11](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD78FKW11.md): Hughes 269A · Columbia, TN · Accident · Minor injuries · Closed · Sep 10, 1978 · N8808F · Substantial damage
- [NTSB IAD74DLT08](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD74DLT08.md): Piper PA-28 · Memphis, TN · Accident · No injuries · Closed · Oct 15, 1973 · N98182 · Substantial damage

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
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" = 'TN' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM case_phases WHERE main = 600)
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600/cases?state=TN

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