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Fatal NTSB investigations

180,658 investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board since 1962: 174,636 accidents, the rest incidents and other occurrences. Each has NTSB’s narrative and, once the investigation is done, its probable cause; since 2008, its findings and sequence of events.

Defining event

Finding

Phase of flight

Aircraft model

Cases, newest first

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' 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'
  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'
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 MIA80FA035Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 172RG · Palm Bay, FLFeb 18, 1980 · N6265R · Destroyed NTSB IAD80FA025Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 152 · Vale, NCFeb 18, 1980 · N25488 · Destroyed NTSB IAD80FA024Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-22 · Clear Spring, MDFeb 18, 1980 · N7596D · Destroyed NTSB ANC80FA031Accident · 3 fatalClosedPilatus PC6B1H · West Dease, AKFeb 18, 1980 · N3603R · Substantial damage NTSB LAX80FA055Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Palmdale, CAFeb 17, 1980 · N4517X · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA054Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 175A · Searchlight, NVFeb 17, 1980 · N7054E · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA121Accident · 1 fatalClosedMooney M20K · Bishop, CAFeb 16, 1980 · N231EY · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA053Accident · 3 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Redding, CAFeb 16, 1980 · N8081H · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FA019Accident · 5 fatalClosedRockwell 700 · Mukilteo, WAFeb 15, 1980 · N9908S · Destroyed NTSB MKC80FA023Accident · 1 fatalClosedBeech H18 · Olathe, KSFeb 15, 1980 · N729F · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA034Accident · 1 fatalClosedGrum-Amer AA-5 · Miami, FLFeb 15, 1980 · N1614R · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA033Accident · 4 fatalClosedPtper PA-32 · Cedar Key, FLFeb 15, 1980 · N5558J · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FJA11Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 172E · Lanai City, HIFeb 15, 1980 · N9982Q · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA032Accident · 2 fatalClosedAero Comdr 680FL · Sebring, FLFeb 14, 1980 · N662B · Destroyed NTSB FTW80FA047Accident · 2 fatalClosedBeech 35 · Barksdale, TXFeb 14, 1980 · N621T · Destroyed NTSB FTW80FA042Accident · 4 fatalClosedMitsubishi MU-2B · Houston, TXFeb 14, 1980 · N346MA · Destroyed NTSB DEN80FA025Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Pueblo, COFeb 14, 1980 · N8393W · Destroyed NTSB MKC80FA021Accident · 4 fatalClosedBeech 95-B55 · Hot Springs, SDFeb 13, 1980 · N8592R · Substantial damage NTSB NYC80FA024Accident · 3 fatalClosedBeech 95-B55 · Gabriels, NYFeb 12, 1980 · N1ZW · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA050Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-34 · Reno, NVFeb 12, 1980 · N2858X · Destroyed NTSB IAD80FA023Accident · 2 fatalClosedBellanca 17-30A · Morrisville, NCFeb 12, 1980 · N28027 · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FEX04Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 182F · Greenwood, INFeb 12, 1980 · N3591Y · No damage NTSB ANC80FA030Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 172M · Homer, AKFeb 12, 1980 · N1384U · Destroyed NTSB MKC80FA020Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 150 · Sioux Falls, SDFeb 11, 1980 · N17013 · Destroyed NTSB MIA80DA043Accident · 1 fatalClosedBeech 58 · Missing AircraftFeb 11, 1980 · N9027Q · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA049Accident · 1 fatalClosedRiley 421C · Escondido, CAFeb 11, 1980 · N15SE · Destroyed NTSB FTW80FA040Accident · 1 fatalClosedBell 206B · Friendswood, TXFeb 9, 1980 · N14815 · 2 aircraft · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA048Accident · 3 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · El Segundo, CAFeb 8, 1980 · N44126 · 2 aircraft · Destroyed NTSB FTW80DA039Accident · 1 fatalClosedBell 206B · Grand Isle, LAFeb 8, 1980 · N4019G · Substantial damage NTSB LAX80FA052Accident · 1 fatalClosedBell 47G3B1 · Alpine, AZFeb 7, 1980 · N1327X · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA046Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna T210M · Grapevine, CAFeb 7, 1980 · N761UW · Destroyed NTSB DEN80FA024Accident · 1 fatalClosedMooney M20C · Scipio, UTFeb 6, 1980 · N6489U · Destroyed NTSB DEN80AA023Accident · 4 fatalClosedCessna TU206G · Clovis, NMFeb 6, 1980 · N7393N · 2 aircraft · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA045Accident · 2 fatalClosedAerostar 601P · San Jose, CAFeb 4, 1980 · N8078J · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FA025Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-22 · Princeton, ILFeb 2, 1980 · N3747A · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FA018Accident · 2 fatalClosedBell 47G3B1 · Jefferson, ORJan 30, 1980 · N73285 · Destroyed NTSB NYC80FA023Accident · 1 fatalClosedGrum Amer AA-1B · Morganville, NJJan 30, 1980 · N9338L · Destroyed NTSB FTW80AA037Accident · 2 fatalClosedAero Comdr 690A · New Castle, OKJan 30, 1980 · XB-AEA · Destroyed NTSB DEN80FA022Accident · 1 fatalClosedAero Comdr 560 · Magdalena, NMJan 30, 1980 · N560E · Destroyed NTSB CHI80AA024Accident · 2 fatalClosedFalcon 10 · Chicago, ILJan 30, 1980 · N253K · Destroyed NTSB NYC80FA022Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 152 · Indian Head, PAJan 29, 1980 · N68326 · Substantial damage NTSB ANC80FA027Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna U206G · Kasigluk, AKJan 29, 1980 · N756CV · Substantial damage NTSB NYC80FFJ05Accident · 1 fatalClosedPitts S-1S · Angola, NYJan 27, 1980 · N55LS · Destroyed NTSB DEN80FA021Accident · 2 fatalClosedMooney M20F · Grantsville, UTJan 27, 1980 · N6439Q · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA042Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 206 · Carson City, NVJan 26, 1980 · N2670X · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA041Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-32 · Catalina Is, CAJan 26, 1980 · N2781M · Destroyed NTSB MKC80FA019Accident · 4 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Clare, IAJan 25, 1980 · N9421C · Destroyed NTSB DEN80FA020Accident · 3 fatalClosedBeech H35 · Copperton, UTJan 24, 1980 · N7935D · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FA023Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 411 · Columbus, OHJan 24, 1980 · N23RJ · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FA017Accident · 1 fatalClosedAeronca 7AC · Stevenson, WAJan 23, 1980 · N83586 · Destroyed