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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 CHI79AA041Accident · 6 fatalClosedBeech 58TC · St.Anne, ILApr 7, 1979 · N17994 · Destroyed NTSB MIA79FLD55Accident · 1 fatalClosedSchleicher ASW-17 · Oviedo, FLApr 6, 1979 · N4AX · Destroyed NTSB MIA79FKT51Accident · 1 fatalClosedGrumman G-164A · Clewiston, FLApr 6, 1979 · N6659 · Destroyed NTSB MIA79FA066Accident · 3 fatalClosedBeech 35A33 · St Petersburg, FLApr 5, 1979 · N848B · Destroyed NTSB SEA79FA030Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 175A · Paris, IDApr 4, 1979 · N8040T · Destroyed NTSB NYC79FA036Accident · 4 fatalClosedBell 206B · Sipesville, PAApr 4, 1979 · N70RB · Destroyed NTSB SEA79AA029Accident · 1 fatalClosedHiller UH12D · Chehalis, WAApr 3, 1979 · N64867 · Minor damage NTSB NYC79FA034Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-34 · Philadelphia, PAApr 3, 1979 · N6211J · Destroyed NTSB MIA79FA065Accident · 3 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Naples, FLApr 3, 1979 · N2181P · Destroyed NTSB MIA79FA064Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-34 · Davie, FLApr 2, 1979 · N1495T · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage NTSB MIA79DA072Accident · 1 fatalClosedBeech E18S · Missing AircraftApr 2, 1979 · N4442 · Destroyed NTSB LAX79FA038Accident · 1 fatalClosedBellanca 8KCAB · Malibu, CAApr 2, 1979 · N5501U · Destroyed NTSB CHI79DA039Accident · 1 fatalClosedHughes 369D · Pekin, ILApr 2, 1979 · N8629F · Substantial damage NTSB NYC79FA033Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Allaire, NJApr 1, 1979 · N4897T · Substantial damage NTSB NYC79FA032Accident · 4 fatalClosedGrum Amer AA-5 · Pompey, NYApr 1, 1979 · N9535L · Destroyed NTSB IAD79FA042Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 175 · Livingston, TNApr 1, 1979 · N6734E · Destroyed NTSB DEN79FA035Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 170A · Larkspur, COMar 31, 1979 · N5759C · Substantial damage NTSB CHI79FA038Accident · 1 fatalClosedBeech 65-80 · Wheeling, ILMar 29, 1979 · N723Q · Destroyed NTSB CHI79FA037Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-30 · Ludington, MIMar 28, 1979 · N77334 · Destroyed NTSB MIA79FLG19Accident · 1 fatalClosedScorpion TOO · Johns Island, SCMar 27, 1979 · N97521 · Substantial damage NTSB IAD79FA041Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 305A · Fair Bluff, NCMar 27, 1979 · N3FS · Destroyed NTSB DEN79FA033Accident · 4 fatalClosedPiper PA-34 · Lander, WYMar 27, 1979 · N2257M · Destroyed NTSB SEA79FA028Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Brothers, ORMar 26, 1979 · N1649H · Destroyed NTSB ANC79FA041Accident · 3 fatalClosedBellanca 7GCBC · Ruby, AKMar 26, 1979 · N5108X · Destroyed NTSB LAX79FA037Accident · 2 fatalClosedGlobe Swift GC1B · Parker, AZMar 25, 1979 · N78233 · Destroyed NTSB OAK79FA021Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Sacramento, CAMar 24, 1979 · N7931C · Destroyed NTSB MKC79FA026Accident · 2 fatalClosedBeech E18S · Cedar Rapids, IAMar 23, 1979 · N201GW · Destroyed NTSB MKC79FA024Accident · 1 fatalClosedAerostar 600 · Sikeston, MOMar 22, 1979 · N90501 · Destroyed NTSB ANC797A014Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna U206 · Nightmute, AKMar 22, 1979 · N733CT · Substantial damage NTSB MIA79FA036Accident · 3 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Homestead, FLMar 21, 1979 · N5344F · Destroyed NTSB FTW79FA065Accident · 1 fatalClosedBeech 95-B55 · Jarrell, TXMar 21, 1979 · N8126R · Destroyed NTSB LAX81FA078Accident · 3 fatalClosedCessna 170A · Morgan Hill, CAMar 20, 1979 · N9117A · Destroyed NTSB NYC79FA031Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Pittstown, NJMar 19, 1979 · N526FL · Substantial damage NTSB MIA79FA058Accident · 2 fatalClosedBeech 65 · Arcadia, FLMar 19, 1979 · N70GC · Destroyed NTSB DEN79FA032Accident · 3 fatalClosedMooney M20F · Crestone, COMar 19, 1979 · N3881N · Destroyed NTSB CHI79FA036Accident · 6 fatalClosedPiper PA-32 · Dekalb, ILMar 19, 1979 · N4047R · Destroyed NTSB MIA79FKG27Accident · 1 fatalClosedPDQ 2 · Kennesaw, GAMar 18, 1979 · N2279D · Destroyed NTSB MIA79FA057Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Camden, SCMar 18, 1979 · N6920W · Destroyed NTSB LAX79FA036Accident · 4 fatalClosedBeech A36 · Perris, CAMar 18, 1979 · N2033K · Destroyed NTSB DEN79FA031Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 310 · Castle Rock, COMar 18, 1979 · N4157A · Destroyed NTSB DEN79FA030Accident · 4 fatalClosedAerostar 601P · Aspen, COMar 18, 1979 · N35FC · Destroyed NTSB SEA79FA025Accident · 2 fatalClosedTaylorcraft BC-65 · Orting, WAMar 17, 1979 · N23633 · Destroyed NTSB LAX79FA046Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 310R · Heber, AZMar 17, 1979 · N3424G · Destroyed NTSB LAX79FA035Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-24 · Taft, CAMar 17, 1979 · N7167P · Destroyed NTSB LAX79FA034Accident · 3 fatalClosedBeech D-35 · Los Angeles, CAMar 17, 1979 · N2916B · Destroyed NTSB FTW79FA064Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-22 · Gladewater, TXMar 17, 1979 · N936A · Destroyed NTSB CHI79FA035Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Park Forrest, ILMar 17, 1979 · N9458W · Destroyed NTSB SEA79FA026Accident · 3 fatalClosedPiper PA-22 · Spencer, IDMar 16, 1979 · N4740A · Destroyed NTSB MKC79FA022Accident · 2 fatalClosedChampion 7GCB · Waverly, KSMar 16, 1979 · N9835Y · Destroyed NTSB CHI79DA034Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 150M · Spring Valley, OHMar 16, 1979 · N704ZG · Destroyed