NTSB investigations: Pratt & Whitney R-985 series, TX

7 cases on aircraft whose registry engine model is Pratt & Whitney R-985 series, where the first occurrence was “Loss of engine power”. Aircraft are matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model, so older matches can be wrong.

Defining event

Finding

Phase of flight

Aircraft model

Cases per year

19822026

NTSB investigations: Pratt & Whitney R-985 series, TX per year, 1982–2026: 7 cases
1982	1
1983	1
1990	1
1991	1
1997	1
1998	1
2005	1

Where

Open the map

Latest cases

Query with SQL

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" = 'TX' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA' AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.engine_model_code IN ('52008') AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o."occurrenceNumber" = 1 AND o."occurrenceCode" = 350)) ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC

duckdb -csv -c "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\" = 'TX' AND c.\"eventCountry\" = 'USA'
    AND c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.engine_model_code IN ('52008')
      AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o.\"occurrenceNumber\" = 1 AND o.\"occurrenceCode\" = 350))
  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.

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" = 'TX' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.engine_model_code IN ('52008')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o."occurrenceNumber" = 1 AND o."occurrenceCode" = 350))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC

Run 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 DFW05CA132Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportWeatherly 201B · Tornillo, TXThe loss of engine power as result of the failure of a cylinder.May 24, 2005 · N1284W · Substantial damage NTSB FTW98LA410Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGrumman G-164A · Mart, TXThe loss of engine power for an undetermined reason. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.Sep 25, 1998 · N983X · Substantial damage NTSB FTW98LA007Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBeech G18S · Crosbyton, TXInadequate maintenance which resulted in diminished carburetor heat effectiveness due to missing alternate air doors. Contributing were conducive carburetor icing weather conditions, low ceilings during the emergency descent, and the lack of suitable terrain…Oct 6, 1997 · N9312Y · Substantial damage NTSB FTW92LA003Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBeech C-45H · Edinburg, TXPower loss due to a loss of oil pressure for undetermined reasons. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for forced landing.Oct 6, 1991 · N166ZA · Substantial damage NTSB FTW90DPA01Accident · No injuriesFinal reportGrumman G-164B · Bonham, TXA power loss for undetermined reasons. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.Apr 4, 1990 · N48372 · Substantial damage NTSB FTW83LA234Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBeech TC-45G · Abilene, TXAbout 30 mi east of Abilene there was a partial loss of power on the left eng. The plt feathered the prop & made an emergency approach into Abilene. Unable to hold initial approach altitude, the plt restarted the left eng, but could obtain only partial power.…May 14, 1983 · N63310 · Substantial damage NTSB FTW82DA093Accident · 1 fatalFinal reportBeech C-45H · Mcallen, TXAbout 18 minutes after takeoff, the pilot radioed that the no. 2 engine had lost power and that he was returning to land at Mcallen, TX. While approaching to land, the aircraft crashed in an open field about 400 yards short of the runway and 115 feet right of…Mar 15, 1982 · N9846Z · Destroyed