NTSB investigations, 2017
14 cases where the phase of flight was Emergency descent.
Cases per year
| 1963 | 2 |
|---|---|
| 1964 | 5 |
| 1965 | 4 |
| 1966 | 10 |
| 1967 | 3 |
| 1968 | 6 |
| 1969 | 3 |
| 1970 | 6 |
| 1971 | 3 |
| 1972 | 2 |
| 1973 | 7 |
| 1974 | 4 |
| 1975 | 6 |
| 1976 | 3 |
| 1977 | 4 |
| 1978 | 10 |
| 1979 | 5 |
| 1980 | 4 |
| 1981 | 3 |
| 1982 | 1 |
| 1983 | 2 |
| 1984 | 8 |
| 1985 | 10 |
| 1986 | 11 |
| 1987 | 9 |
| 1988 | 4 |
| 1989 | 3 |
| 1990 | 4 |
| 1991 | 8 |
| 1992 | 4 |
| 1993 | 5 |
| 1994 | 5 |
| 1995 | 3 |
| 1996 | 3 |
| 1997 | 3 |
| 1998 | 8 |
| 1999 | 6 |
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 5 |
| 2002 | 11 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 10 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 14 |
| 2009 | 31 |
| 2010 | 16 |
| 2011 | 18 |
| 2012 | 18 |
| 2013 | 16 |
| 2014 | 17 |
| 2015 | 16 |
| 2016 | 15 |
| 2017 | 14 |
| 2018 | 11 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 10 |
| 2021 | 12 |
| 2022 | 9 |
| 2023 | 14 |
| 2024 | 15 |
| 2025 | 13 |
| 2026 | 5 |
Where
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 year(c.\"eventDate\") = 2017
AND c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM case_phases WHERE main = 600)
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.
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") = 2017
AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM case_phases WHERE main = 600)
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESCRun it at the DuckDB prompt, or in any tool that reads Parquet over HTTPS. More ways to query the release are on Use the data.
NTSB WPR18LA041Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R22 · Truckee, CAThe flight instructor’s failure to execute a power recovery from a non-stabilized autorotative descent, which resulted in a hard landing.NTSB WPR18LA030Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportVanderark RV-10 · Sun Lakes, AZThe fatigue fractures of the upper and lower alternator attachment bolts, which decreased the common drive belt tension and resulted in the subsequent in-flight separation of an alternator drive belt, the overheating of the engine, and the subsequent total…NTSB GAA18CA030Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta · Las Vegas, NVThe student pilot’s tension on the flight control at a low level during an autorotation, which did not allow sufficient time for the flight instructor to correct and recover control before the hard landing.NTSB CEN18LA010Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBellanca 17-30A · Sweetwater, TXThe loss of engine power during a precautionary approach for landing for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.NTSB WPR17LA211Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R22 · Long Beach, CAThe student pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm during the crosswind landing approach and his subsequent improper decision to initiate an autorotation instead of applying corrective control inputs after the helicopter experienced normal airframe vibration.…NTSB ERA17FA317Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportSchweizer 269C · Medford, NJThe pilot's early entry into and failure to maintain rotor rpm during a forced landing autorotation after performing an engine shutdown in flight, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent. Contributing to the accident was the failure of maintenance personnel…NTSB WPR17IA198Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportEnstrom F 28F · Glendale, AZAn internal failure of the turbo-compressor, which resulted in oil leaking into the turbo-compressor’s exhaust.NTSB WPR17FA166Accident · 4 fatalField investigationFinal reportBeech A36TC · Ogden, UTA loss of control during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined.NTSB GAA17CA434Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R22 · Bozeman, MTThe flight instructor’s unstabilized autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.NTSB WPR17LA156Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportSimmons Gary F Stol CH 701 · Kenwood, CAFailure of the flywheel drive assembly, which resulted in a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing to uneven terrain.NTSB CEN17WA245Accident · No injuriesForeign investigationBell 204 · Alpbach, AustriaNTSB WPR17LA099Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportDiamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 NG · Goodyear, AZLoss of engine power due to the installation of an improper air induction hose, which failed and prevented sufficient air intake to the turbocharger.NTSB GAA17CA218Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportBell 206 · La Verne, CAThe pilot’s early increased application of the collective during a simulated hovering autorotation, which resulted in a loss of rotor rpm and subsequent main rotor blade strike of the tailboom.NTSB ERA17LA126Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEurocopter AS 350 · San Juan, PRThe flight instructor's incorrect manipulations of the twist grip throttle control during a practice autorotation, which resulted in an engine overspeed and subsequent fire.