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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 DEN80FA012Accident · 2 fatalClosedMitsubishi MU-2B · Provo, UTDec 21, 1979 · N200BR · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FA016Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 172K · Edwardsville, ILDec 21, 1979 · N736UL · Destroyed NTSB CHI80DA018Accident · 2 fatalClosedBeech B58 · Taylorville, ILDec 21, 1979 · N2058X · Destroyed NTSB CHI80DA017Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 310R · Green Bay, WIDec 21, 1979 · N78ST · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA114Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-32R · Safford, AZDec 20, 1979 · N9877K · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FLA12Accident · 1 fatalClosedNavion H · Waycross, GADec 18, 1979 · N2552T · Destroyed NTSB FTW80FA023Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 180K · Harvey, LADec 18, 1979 · N2594K · Substantial damage NTSB NYC80FA015Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 172 · Washingtnville, NYDec 16, 1979 · N6647A · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA019Accident · 2 fatalClosedN American P-51D · Eufaula, ALDec 16, 1979 · N7711C · Destroyed NTSB IAD80FA017Accident · 7 fatalClosedBeech A65 · Lexington, KYDec 16, 1979 · N154F · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FA015Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Mansfield, OHDec 16, 1979 · N5515F · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA018Accident · 4 fatalClosedRaven S-55A · Davie, FLDec 15, 1979 · N64RR · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA025Accident · 1 fatalClosedMooney M20J · Palo Alto, CADec 15, 1979 · N201UN · Destroyed NTSB FTW80FRG13Accident · 1 fatalClosedErco 415-C · Troy, TXDec 15, 1979 · N93477 · Destroyed NTSB FTW80FA022Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna A185F · Venice, LADec 15, 1979 · N1850R · Destroyed NTSB FTW80FA021Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Sonora, TXDec 15, 1979 · N57329 · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FA014Accident · 1 fatalClosedHughes 269C · West Milton, OHDec 15, 1979 · N7483F · Destroyed NTSB IAD80FA016Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-23 · Knoxville, TNDec 14, 1979 · N3242P · Destroyed NTSB DEN80FTE12Accident · 2 fatalClosedDelta Dyke · Broomfield, CODec 13, 1979 · N99DD · Substantial damage NTSB SEA80FAMS1Accident · 4 fatalClosedPiper PA-24 · Missing AircraftDec 11, 1979 · N6171P · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FA047Accident · 4 fatalClosedPiper PA-24 · White Pass, WADec 11, 1979 · N6171P · Destroyed NTSB MKC80FA014Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 182S · Womack, MODec 11, 1979 · N3594U · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FA014Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 182 · Idaho Falls, IDDec 9, 1979 · N470PP · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA024Accident · 1 fatalClosedAerostar 601P · Bishop, CADec 9, 1979 · N600WW · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA023Accident · 3 fatalClosedCessna 172M · Huntington Bch, CADec 9, 1979 · N20647 · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FA013Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna T210M · Pasco, WADec 8, 1979 · N732QJ · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FA012Accident · 2 fatalClosedAeronca 65-CA · Mountain Home, IDDec 8, 1979 · N31929 · Substantial damage NTSB SEA80FA011Accident · 2 fatalClosedBeech V35A · Sublett, IDDec 7, 1979 · N7950R · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FA010Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 210 · Malad City, IDDec 7, 1979 · N9524T · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA017Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-24 · Clearwater, FLDec 6, 1979 · N9095P · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA022Accident · 2 fatalClosedBeech V35B · Show Low, AZDec 6, 1979 · N1863L · Destroyed NTSB MIA8OFA016Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-23 · Pembroke Pines, FLDec 5, 1979 · N6883Y · Destroyed NTSB ANC80FA020Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-18 · Grayling, AKDec 4, 1979 · N4325Z · Substantial damage NTSB DEN80FA011Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 182 · Longmont, CODec 3, 1979 · N3194S · Destroyed NTSB ANC80FA018Accident · 4 fatalClosedDehavnd Can DHC-6 · Nome, AKDec 3, 1979 · N8061V · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FA013Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 177 · Gary, INDec 1, 1979 · N10412 · Destroyed NTSB ANC80FA017Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 180 · Goose Bay, AKNov 30, 1979 · N2694Y · Destroyed NTSB NYC80FA014Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Watsontown, PANov 29, 1979 · N2916Q · Substantial damage NTSB MIA80FA015Accident · 2 fatalClosedAmer Avco AA1-B · Melbourne, FLNov 29, 1979 · N8971L · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FA009Accident · 2 fatalClosedMooney M20C · Grass Valley, ORNov 28, 1979 · N7090V · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA021Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 152 · Flagstaff, AZNov 27, 1979 · N48835 · Destroyed NTSB FTW80FA019Accident · 1 fatalClosedMitsubishi MU-2B · Post Oak, TXNov 26, 1979 · N234MA · Destroyed NTSB MKC80FA010Accident · 6 fatalClosedPiper PA-23 · Columbus, NENov 25, 1979 · N6496Y · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA014Accident · 4 fatalClosedPiper PA-32R · Anniston, ALNov 25, 1979 · N5RJ · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA018Accident · 5 fatalClosedCessna 180H · Weaverville, CANov 25, 1979 · N7984V · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA011Accident · 3 fatalClosedBeech V35B · Delta, OHNov 25, 1979 · N3949A · Destroyed NTSB IAD80FA014Accident · 4 fatalClosedPiper PA-32 · Davis, WVNov 25, 1979 · N3409W · Destroyed NTSB IAD80FA013Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-23 · Locust Grove, VANov 25, 1979 · N7650D · Destroyed NTSB IAD80FA012Accident · 1 fatalClosedBellanca 8KCAB · Churchton, MDNov 25, 1979 · N444HG · Destroyed NTSB FTW80IA018Incident · 1 fatalClosedLockheed L-1011 · Mineral Wells, TXNov 25, 1979 · N714DA · No damage