# NTSB investigations, 1998: 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 FTW99LA017](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA017.md): Grumman American AA-5A · Scott, AR · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 29, 1998 · N9956U · Substantial damage
  > The disengagement of the crankshaft gear due to the maintenance personnel not installing the gear lockplate at the last engine overhaul, resulting in the loosening of the gear retaining bolt, and the subsequent fracture of the gear alignment dowel. A factor…
- [NTSB FTW98LA347](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA347.md): Cessna 152 · Hayes, LA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 9, 1998 · N69269 · Substantial damage
  > The forced landing for undetermined reasons. A factor was no suitable terrain for the forced landing.
- [NTSB FTW98LA357](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA357.md): Cessna 150J · Belen, NM · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 7, 1998 · N60564 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper preflight in that he failed to drain the water from the fuel sumps. Factors were water contamination in the fuel tank and a sand bar.
- [NTSB CHI98LA303](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA303.md): Cook Teenie TWO · Stevensville, MI · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 18, 1998 · N40512 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation which resulted in fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power.
- [NTSB LAX98LA230](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA230.md): Piper PA-18-150 · Hyampom, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 12, 1998 · N6248R · Substantial damage
  > Inadequate annual inspection that resulted in a partial loss of engine power due to a missing bolt, nut, and cotter pin from the throttle/carburetor assembly.
- [NTSB FTW98FA157](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98FA157.md): Cessna T207A · Monument Valley, UT · Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 24, 1998 · N73780 · Substantial damage
  > The engine's total power loss due to the induction air ducting separating because of inadequate maintenance by company personnel. Factors were the failure of the manufacturer to provide non-standard operating procedures in their airplane's information manual,…
- [NTSB FTW98LA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA154.md): Grumman American AA-1B · Tulsa, OK · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 22, 1998 · N9940L · Substantial damage
  > The complete loss of engine power for an undetermined reason. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
- [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.

## 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 year(c."eventDate") = 1998
  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?year=1998

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.