NTSB investigations, MA

22 cases where the phase of flight was Uncontrolled descent.

Cases per year

19642026
NTSB investigations, MA per year, 1964–2026: 22 cases
19642
19661
19672
19685
19692
19703
19712
19761
19781
19802
19921

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\" = 'MA' AND c.\"eventCountry\" = 'USA'
    AND c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM case_phases WHERE main = 650)
  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 NYC92LA177Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAerostar AX-9 · Hopkinton, MAThe pilot's inflight planning which resulted in a forced landing in unsuitable terrain due to fuel exhaustion.Aug 22, 1992 · N28267 · Substantial damageNTSB NYC81FA014Accident · 1 fatalClosedGlobe GC-1B · West Tisbury, MANov 25, 1980 · N80674 · DestroyedNTSB NYC80FA045Accident · 4 fatalClosedCessna 210E · Provincetown, MAJun 14, 1980 · N4919U · DestroyedNTSB NYC78FA089Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 150M · Millbury, MASep 9, 1978 · N9470U · DestroyedNTSB NYC76AN105Accident · 4 fatalClosedCessna 172 · Turo, MAJun 26, 1976 · CF-QNG · DestroyedNTSB NYC72AN073Accident · 5 fatalClosedPiper PA-32 · Adams, MANov 28, 1971 · N550XX · DestroyedNTSB NYC72AN025Accident · 3 fatalClosedBeech B23 · Stow, MAAug 5, 1971 · N6138N · DestroyedNTSB NYC71AN010Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Provincetown, MAJul 20, 1970 · N6245W · DestroyedNTSB NYC71AN003Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-24 · Pelham, MAJul 4, 1970 · N5777P · DestroyedNTSB NYC70AN116Accident · 3 fatalClosedPiper PA-32 · Stoughton, MAApr 24, 1970 · N3236W · DestroyedNTSB NYC70A0032Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Sandisfield, MASep 7, 1969 · N1735J · DestroyedNTSB NYC70A0002Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Falmouth, MAJul 1, 1969 · N6780J · DestroyedNTSB NYC69F0258Accident · 1 fatalClosedBensen B-8 · Marion, MANov 23, 1968 · N59284 · DestroyedNTSB NYC69D0277Accident · No injuriesClosedBell 47G-5 · Rochester, MANov 23, 1968 · N7815S · Substantial damageNTSB NYC69F0115Accident · 1 fatalClosedBensen B-8M · Turners Fall, MAAug 4, 1968 · N8200 · DestroyedNTSB NYC69A0008Accident · 2 fatalClosedHelio H-391B · Royalston, MAJul 10, 1968 · N28B · 2 aircraft · DestroyedNTSB NYC68A0123Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 411 · Watertown, MAMay 29, 1968 · N7341U · DestroyedNTSB NYC67A0152Accident · 4 fatalClosedBeech 23 · Naushon Isl, MAApr 30, 1967 · N8728M · DestroyedNTSB NYC67A0111Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Dedham, MAFeb 9, 1967 · N9588J · DestroyedNTSB NYC67A0015Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-22 · E Taunton, MAJul 16, 1966 · N5638Z · DestroyedNTSB UNK64X3231Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-23 · E Falmouth, MAAug 5, 1964 · N5485Y · DestroyedNTSB UNK64X3094Accident · 2 fatalClosedMooney M-20A · Provincetown, MAJul 28, 1964 · N6024 · Destroyed