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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 CHI80DA008Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Plainwell, MIOct 29, 1979 · N4437J · 2 aircraft · Destroyed NTSB UNK80X0101Accident · 1 fatalClosedNavion G · Concord, MAOct 28, 1979 · N2412T · Destroyed NTSB MIA80DA009Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-23 · Missing AircraftOct 27, 1979 · N13986 · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FUJ05Accident · 1 fatalClosedBellanca 8KCAB · Chino Valley, AZOct 27, 1979 · N5030F · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FUG04Accident · 1 fatalClosedBellanca 7KCAB · Corona, CAOct 27, 1979 · N88406 · Substantial damage NTSB LAX80AA008Accident · 10 fatalClosedBeech 200 · San Ysidro, CAOct 27, 1979 · XC-PGR · Destroyed NTSB DEN80FA006Accident · 4 fatalClosedCessna C210T · Jackson, WYOct 27, 1979 · N6470A · Destroyed NTSB NYC80FA006Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Gilead, MEOct 25, 1979 · N407FL · Substantial damage NTSB FTW80FA008Accident · 1 fatalClosedBeech C55 · Fordyce, AROct 25, 1979 · N9466S · Destroyed NTSB ANC80FA007Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 207 · Venetie, AKOct 25, 1979 · N1684U · Substantial damage NTSB MIA80FA006Accident · 1 fatalClosedSikorsky S-55 · Davenport, FLOct 23, 1979 · N95761 · Destroyed NTSB FTW80FA007Accident · 4 fatalClosedCessna 182 · Sonora, TXOct 23, 1979 · N9018X · Destroyed NTSB DEN80FA005Accident · 1 fatalClosedSoloy 47G · Ruidoso, NMOct 23, 1979 · N7828S · Destroyed NTSB DEN81FA066Accident · 4 fatalClosedBeech C33 · Dubois, WYOct 22, 1979 · N60234 · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FA007Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 310 · Bloomington, INOct 22, 1979 · N1320G · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA004Accident · 1 fatalClosedPitts S-2A · Bunnell, FLOct 20, 1979 · N17DG · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA006Accident · 2 fatalClosedBeech V35B · Lucerne Valley, CAOct 20, 1979 · N6641S · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FA006Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 172 · Fall Creek, WIOct 20, 1979 · N5072R · Destroyed NTSB CHI79FEC59Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 120 · Vassar, MIOct 20, 1979 · N2854N · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA005Accident · 2 fatalClosedSwearingen SA26AT · Palo Alto, CAOct 19, 1979 · N65103 · Destroyed NTSB DEN80FA004Accident · 2 fatalClosedRockwell 114 · Hanksville, UTOct 19, 1979 · N4873W · Substantial damage NTSB SEA80FA004Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 177RG · Ephrata, WAOct 18, 1979 · N34948 · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FA005Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 150 · Albany, OHOct 17, 1979 · N1800D · 2 aircraft · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FTI01Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna A185F · Dillon, MTOct 16, 1979 · N4961Q · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FA003Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 182L · Macks Inn, IDOct 15, 1979 · N42641 · Destroyed NTSB CHI80DA004Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna A150L · Spring Valley, ILOct 15, 1979 · N5936J · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA004Accident · 4 fatalClosedPiper PA-32 · Ontario, CAOct 14, 1979 · N331JB · Destroyed NTSB DEN80FA003Accident · 8 fatalClosedCessna T210N · Gunnison, COOct 14, 1979 · N7618N · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA007Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 152 · Ojai, CAOct 13, 1979 · N49216 · Destroyed NTSB IAD80FLT01Accident · 2 fatalClosedBayles Spec 1 · Jackson, TNOct 13, 1979 · N8237E · Destroyed NTSB IAD80FA005Accident · 1 fatalClosedRockwell 114 · Bethany, WVOct 11, 1979 · N4989W · Destroyed NTSB DEN80FA002Accident · 2 fatalClosedRaven S55AX7 · Albuquerque, NMOct 10, 1979 · N403AA · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FAMS1Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-24 · Ganges, MIOct 10, 1979 · N8437P · Destroyed NTSB ANC80FA003Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper J-3 · Georgetown, AKOct 10, 1979 · N6254H · Destroyed NTSB NYC80FA005Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-31 · Uniontown, PAOct 9, 1979 · N9277Y · Destroyed NTSB CHI79FEM01Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 177 · Baraga, MIOct 9, 1979 · N3331T · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FA002Accident · 2 fatalClosedAerospatial SA315B · Swan Valley, IDOct 8, 1979 · N219RM · Destroyed NTSB DCA80AA002Accident · 8 fatalClosedPiper PA-31 · Covington, KYOct 8, 1979 · N6642L · Destroyed NTSB ANC80DA002Accident · 4 fatalClosedCessna 207A · Anchorage, AKOct 8, 1979 · N6424H · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FA001Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 150F · Arlington, WAOct 7, 1979 · N3033X · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA001Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 210 · Osteen, FLOct 7, 1979 · N1738X · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA001Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 170B · Schurz, NVOct 7, 1979 · N8321A · Destroyed NTSB NYC80FA004Accident · 1 fatalClosedBell 206B · Old Westbury, NYOct 6, 1979 · N3500M · Destroyed NTSB IAD80FA004Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna T210N · Lawrenceville, VAOct 5, 1979 · N6483N · Destroyed NTSB CHI79FA002Accident · 3 fatalClosedPiper PA-32R · Elgin, ILOct 5, 1979 · N61424 · Destroyed NTSB MIA80DA002Accident · 1 fatalClosedAero Comdr 500 · Missing AircraftOct 4, 1979 · N3815C · Destroyed NTSB IAD80FA003Accident · 3 fatalClosedHughes 369HS · Mt Crawford, VAOct 4, 1979 · N9076F · Destroyed NTSB IAD80FA002Accident · 2 fatalClosedMooney M20J · Pikeville, TNOct 4, 1979 · N201YY · Destroyed NTSB NYC80FA002Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 310R · Bethlehem, CTOct 3, 1979 · N87369 · Destroyed NTSB ANC80FA001Accident · 3 fatalClosedCessna 207 · Juneau, AKOct 3, 1979 · N1726U · Destroyed