NTSB investigations: Volkswagen CONVERSION

7 cases on aircraft whose registry engine model is Volkswagen CONVERSION, where the first occurrence was “Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction”. 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

19832026

NTSB investigations: Volkswagen CONVERSION per year, 1983–2026: 7 cases
1983	2
1986	2
1988	2
1998	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."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.engine_model_code IN ('63501') 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" = 130)) 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.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.engine_model_code IN ('63501')
      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\" = 130))
  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."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.engine_model_code IN ('63501')
    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" = 130))
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 CHI98LA281Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLuckey Dragonfly II · Caro, MIan improper inflight decision when he mistook the road for the runway of the nearby airport to land on. A factor in this accident was the total failure of the engine's crankshaft.Jul 26, 1998 · N14U · Substantial damage NTSB MKC88DCA01Accident · 1 fatalFinal reportRosenmayer Skyranger S/C · Maryland Hgts, MOWitnesses observed the a/c making a turn when the wings came off and the a/c nose-dived to the ground with the wings 'floating' down after the a/c. examination of the wreckage found a fatigue crack 1/3 the circumference with instantaneous cracking on the…Aug 7, 1988 · N830CR · Destroyed NTSB ATL88DLQ01Accident · No injuriesFinal reportByron/Sorrell SNS-2 · Morehead, KYInflight separation of both propeller blades from the acft for undetermined reasons.Jun 8, 1988 · N112CB · Substantial damage NTSB ATL86LA094Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportShaffer KR-2 · Mobile, ALThe pilot lost control of the aircraft during cruise flight while attempting to close the cockpit canopy which inadvertently unlatched. The aircraft entered a spin and the pilot was unable to recover prior to ground impact. The aircraft was an experimental…Mar 15, 1986 · N455JS · Substantial damage NTSB MKC86FCQ01Accident · Serious injuriesFinal reportKuhn Sonerai II · Sedgwick, KSThe plt noticed eng oil on the cockpit canopy during the local flt and decided to make a precautionary landing. The landing was made in a wheat field where the acft contacted a fence. The nose gear then collapsed and the acft nosed over. Post accident…Feb 2, 1986 · N23BK · Substantial damage NTSB CHI83LA256Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportQuickie Q2 · Anderson, INThe homebuilt acft veered and nosed over during a landing. Examination of the acft revealed that the cable to the left front rudder attach point became disconnected. The cable had pulled through the nicropress oval sleeve. When the pilot/ builder was…Jun 14, 1983 · N82DG · Minor damage NTSB FTW83LA122Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMonnett Sonerai II · Las Cruces, NMThe new home built acft had only 2.5 hrs total flt time. After a test flt, the plt was on the landing roll when he lost control at aprx 35 mph. Subsequently, the acft ground looped & nosed over on its top. The plt reported that loss of control occurred after…Feb 16, 1983 · N1390A · Substantial damage