OpenAirDocs.org

NTSB investigations, 1987

9 cases where the phase of flight was Uncontrolled descent.

Cases per year

19622026

Where

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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\") = 1987
    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 MKC88FA018Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 310Q · Augusta, KSThe airplane departed to the south and made a left turn. Approximately 1/4 of a mile east of the airport, the airplane impacted straight down with gear down and flaps at 15 degrees. No preimpact problems were found with airframe or powerplants. No indication…Nov 19, 1987 · N7735A · DestroyedNTSB DEN88LA025Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 269C · Grand Forks, NDThe CFI was instructing the pvt rated dual student in simulated forced landings. During the power recovery following a practice autorotation, the engine failed to regain RPM at full throttle. During the forced landing, the helicopter nosed over at touchdown…Nov 19, 1987 · N11079 · Substantial damageNTSB NYC88FA032Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportBeech F-33A · Forked River, NJThe pilot and passenger departed white plains, new york on a VFR flight to kill devil hills, north carolina. Search efforts were initiated when the aircraft failed to arrive at its destination. A witness in a hunting camp near the crashsite saw the aircraft…Nov 1, 1987 · N333JL · DestroyedNTSB ATL87FA268Accident · 5 fatalField investigationFinal reportBeech 95-B55 · Manteo, NCWitness observed acft settle into ocean during low level cruise flt adjacent to beach. Wx was ovrcst, indistinct horizon & calm sea. IFR flt plan had been filed but no contact was made with ATC. Engines and propeller examination did not reveal a mechanical…Sep 30, 1987 · N6343X · DestroyedNTSB DEN87LA172Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPiper PA-38-112 · Pagosa Springs, COThe commercial plt and a friend departed aztec, new Mexico, with the intention of flying over wolf creek pass en route to Colorado Springs, Colorado. He said the acft would not climb over the pass and the acft collided with trees in mountainous terrain. The…Jul 3, 1987 · N25655 · Substantial damageNTSB FTW87DRD06Accident · 1 fatalFinal reportAir Command 532 · St.Francisville, LAWitnesses observed the gyroplane flying at 10-15 feet AGL when it started a turn to the right. It continued the right turn and descended into the ground. Dr. Moore of the FAA sw regional flight surgeon's office stated that the plt had coronary disease and…Jun 28, 1987 · N532X · DestroyedNTSB MIA87LA180Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTaylorcraft BL-65 · Deland, FLThe plt stated that just after take-off, the rt wing was lifted by a x-wind & the acft stalled & crashed into the trees. The plt stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had decreased the angle of attack after take-off & had made 'a turn into…Jun 13, 1987 · N36130 · Substantial damageNTSB LAX87FA167Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportChampion 7ECA · Upland, CAThe pilot took off from his home airport for a sight-seeing, local flight over nearby mountains. Although the rear seat passenger weighed 270 lbs and the aircraft's fuel tanks were assumed to be full, there is no evidence that the pilot calculated the…Apr 2, 1987 · N9655S · DestroyedNTSB FTW87LA073Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBalloon Works Firefly 7-B · Broken Arrow, OKThe Balloon drifted into power lines just after liftoff. The pilot stated he was hooking up a new temperature gauge and did not notice that the Balloon was descending.Mar 5, 1987 · N15253 · Substantial damage