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Fatal NTSB investigations: Cessna 320D

24 cases on aircraft the registry lists as Cessna 320D. 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

19662026

Where

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."highestInjuryLevel" = 'Fatal' AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('2074512')) 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.\"highestInjuryLevel\" = 'Fatal'
    AND c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('2074512'))
  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."highestInjuryLevel" = 'Fatal'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('2074512'))
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 WPR18FA186Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportCessna 320 · Eagle Mountain, UTThe pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and the airplane experiencing an aerodynamic stall at too low an altitude to recover.Jun 28, 2018 · N320MF · Destroyed NTSB WPR12FA164Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 320D · Green River, WYThe pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering in marginal weather conditions, which resulted in an exceedence of the design stress limits of the airplane and a subsequent in-flight structural failure.Apr 12, 2012 · N32EG · Destroyed NTSB WPR09FA258Accident · 4 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 320D · Fallon, NVThe pilot’s inadequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.May 23, 2009 · N320KP · Substantial damage NTSB DFW08FA237Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 320D · Collinsville, OKThe crews' failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall close to the ground.Sep 28, 2008 · N4165T · Substantial damage NTSB SEA03FA165Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 320D · Mazama, WAThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering. Mountainous terrain, trees and mountain obscuration were factors.Apr 17, 2003 · N4178T · Substantial damage NTSB ATL03FA062Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 320D · Perry, GAThe pilot continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to maintain altitude/terrain clearance.Mar 16, 2003 · N4137T · Substantial damage NTSB LAX91FA133Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 320D · Gorman, CAVFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) by the pilot, and his failure to maintain sufficient altitude/clearance from mountainous terrain. Factors related to the accident were: the terrain and weather conditions.Mar 13, 1991 · N3302Q · Destroyed NTSB LAX88FA245Accident · 4 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 320D · Mammoth Lakes, CAThe pilot executed a left (south) crosswind departure towards higher terrain after departing runway 27; the plt was following a slower single engine airplane that had preceded his departure. Ground witnesses reported that as the airplane approached the higher…Jul 4, 1988 · N9HS · Destroyed NTSB LAX86FA222Accident · 6 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 320D · Van Nuys, CAThe acft was returning from a x-country flt when the accident occurred. Witnesses observed the acft on a low downwind leg and made two sudden steep turns, one to the east followed by a sudden steep turn to the north prior to a nose down impact into the…May 18, 1986 · N320SD · Destroyed NTSB LAX82FA196Accident · 8 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 320D · Chandler, AZShortly after the aircraft took off from stellar airpark, several witnesses saw it flying northbound with smoke trailing from the left engine. One witness, a student pilot, stated that the gear was down and the plane was lower than normal, about 500 ft AGL.…May 27, 1982 · N4167T · Destroyed NTSB SEA81FA055Accident · 4 fatalClosedCessna 320D · Republic, WASep 11, 1981 · N111NT · Destroyed NTSB DEN78FA030Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 320 · Gallup, NMMar 4, 1978 · N4108T · Destroyed NTSB ANC78FA018Accident · 5 fatalClosedCessna 320D · Wrangell, AKFeb 5, 1978 · N234M · Destroyed NTSB CHI77FA052Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 320D · Cleveland, OHJun 23, 1977 · N536T · Destroyed NTSB OAK73AP034Accident · 4 fatalClosedCessna 320D · Tonopah, NVApr 4, 1973 · N4190T · Destroyed NTSB LAX73AL044Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 320D · Fullerton, CAMar 21, 1973 · N4125T · Destroyed NTSB NYC73AN082Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 320D · Benton Hrbr, MIDec 14, 1972 · N9212U · Destroyed NTSB CHI72AC051Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 320D · Springfield, ILDec 12, 1971 · N777K · Destroyed NTSB CHI72AC039Accident · 4 fatalClosedCessna 320D · Orrville, OHOct 24, 1971 · N4149T · Destroyed NTSB MKC72AK021Accident · 4 fatalClosedCessna 320D · Aspen, COSep 26, 1971 · N4157T · Destroyed NTSB MIA69A0002Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 320D · Belton, SCJul 3, 1968 · N4124T · Destroyed NTSB OAK68A0071Accident · 3 fatalClosedCessna 320D · Carlin, NVJun 5, 1968 · N4114T · Destroyed NTSB CHI67A0126Accident · 6 fatalClosedCessna 320 · Aurora, INMay 16, 1967 · N3324Q · Destroyed NTSB UNK66X0171Accident · 4 fatalClosedCessna 320D · Embras, CanadaSep 7, 1966 · N4146T · Destroyed