# NTSB investigations, VA: 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 ERA24LA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA045.md): Bell 407 · Chesterfield, VA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Nov 16, 2023 · N26VA · Substantial damage
  > A hard landing, which resulted in a main rotor strike of the left vertical stablizer.
- [NTSB ERA14LA433](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA433.md): Piper J3C 65 · Carrol County, VA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 10, 2014 · N26105 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees during an emergency landing after encountering deteriorating weather conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s poor preflight weather planning, which resulted in an inadvertent encounter with…
- [NTSB ERA10LA294](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA294.md): Swanson RV-9A · Ashland, VA · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 1, 2010 · N858JK · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point during a forced landing in gusting wind. Contributing to the accident was a total loss of engine power, likely due to carburetor ice.
- [NTSB ERA09LA370](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA370.md): Michael J. Kohout Glassair III · Manassas, VA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 26, 2009 · N2YT · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while attempting an emergency landing after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and distraction due to a separated fuel cap in flight.
- [NTSB MIA08LA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA08LA035.md): Cessna R172K · Spotsylvania, VA · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 5, 2008 · N758FQ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to follow the checklist and failure to achieve the proper touchdown point during a forced landing. Contributing to the accident was a loss of engine power due to a cracked No. 4 top sparkplug insulator, resulting in pre-ignition/detonation…
- [NTSB NYC07CA172](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC07CA172.md): Schweizer SGS 1-26C · Windsor, VA · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 22, 2007 · N2743Z · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to properly plan the approach to the airport, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a tree. A factor was the gusty wind conditions.
- [NTSB IAD02LA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD02LA036.md): Schweizer SGS 1-26A · Strausburg, VA · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 10, 2002 · N3878A · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate evaluation of weather resulted in a loss of thermal lift, which resulted in an impact with trees.
- [NTSB NYC98LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA068.md): Zwart KIT FOX Vixen · Weyers Cave, VA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 22, 1998 · N955F · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the propeller drive train after the pilot/builder installed an improper drive belt.
- [NTSB IAD78FA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD78FA027.md): Cessna 182K · Pearisburg, VA · Accident · 2 fatal · Closed · Jan 1, 1978 · N303JR · Destroyed
- [NTSB IAD75DIJ09](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD75DIJ09.md): Cessna 177B · Volney, VA · Accident · No injuries · Closed · Dec 17, 1974 · N34477 · Destroyed
- [NTSB IAD73FID22](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD73FID22.md): Hughes 269C · Richmond, VA · Accident · No injuries · Closed · May 16, 1973 · N9693F · 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" = 'VA' 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=VA

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