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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 IAD79FA032Accident · 1 fatalClosedN.American Navion · Somerset, KYFeb 22, 1979 · N8921H · Substantial damage NTSB OAK79FA019Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 182Q · Tuolumne, CAFeb 21, 1979 · N94386 · Destroyed NTSB OAK79FA016Accident · 2 fatalClosedBeech A36 · San Jose, CAFeb 20, 1979 · N8571R · Destroyed NTSB IAD79FKW06Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 150F · Bristol, TNFeb 20, 1979 · N8555G · Substantial damage NTSB FTW79FA050Accident · 4 fatalClosedPiper PA-24 · Dallas, TXFeb 20, 1979 · N6055P · Destroyed NTSB NYC79FFA14Accident · 1 fatalClosedBensen B8M · Canton, NYFeb 19, 1979 · N9024R · Substantial damage NTSB LAX79FA031Accident · 3 fatalClosedCessna 172 · Mt Baldy, CAFeb 19, 1979 · N1527V · Destroyed NTSB OAK79FA018Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-28R · Fernley, NVFeb 18, 1979 · N222WF · Destroyed NTSB LAX79FA030Accident · 4 fatalClosedMooney M-20E · Boron, CAFeb 17, 1979 · N1979Y · Destroyed NTSB DEN79FA022Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Logan, UTFeb 17, 1979 · N3893M · 2 aircraft · Minor damage NTSB FTW79FA049Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Comanche, TXFeb 16, 1979 · N5960U · Destroyed NTSB FTW79FA048Accident · 2 fatalClosedAerostar 601P · New Braunfels, TXFeb 16, 1979 · N9779Q · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA051Accident · 1 fatalClosedBeech S35 · Horseshoe Bch, FLFeb 15, 1979 · N238H · Destroyed NTSB FTW79FA047Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · Rogers, ARFeb 15, 1979 · N6482R · Destroyed NTSB DCA79AA008Accident · 2 fatalClosedFrakes M298 · Clarksburg, WVFeb 12, 1979 · N29824 · Destroyed NTSB MIA79FA050Accident · 1 fatalClosedAmer Avco AA-5B · Plymouth, FLFeb 11, 1979 · N28671 · Destroyed NTSB FTW79FA046Accident · 1 fatalClosedBellanca 17-30A · Bryans Corner, OKFeb 11, 1979 · N28175 · 2 aircraft · Destroyed NTSB LAX79FA029Accident · 2 fatalClosedBellanca 14-13 · Compton, CAFeb 10, 1979 · N86724 · Destroyed NTSB DEN79FA021Accident · 4 fatalClosedMooney M20E · Littleton, COFeb 10, 1979 · N2766W · Destroyed NTSB SEA79FAMS3Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 172M · Missing AircraftFeb 9, 1979 · N12752 · Destroyed NTSB SEA79FA034Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 172 · Camas, WAFeb 9, 1979 · N12752 · Destroyed NTSB LAX79FA028Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna A150L · Fillmore, CAFeb 7, 1979 · N728AM · Destroyed NTSB MIA79FA048Accident · 1 fatalClosedBeech E35 · Brunswick, GAFeb 6, 1979 · N2059C · Substantial damage NTSB DEN79FA020Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna R172K · Banner, WYFeb 6, 1979 · N758AV · Destroyed NTSB CHI79DEP29Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiccard AX-3 · Missing AircraftFeb 6, 1979 · N51880 · Destroyed NTSB MIA79FA047Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-23 · Miami, FLFeb 5, 1979 · N6608Y · Destroyed NTSB MIA79FA046Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-23 · Pascagoula, MSFeb 4, 1979 · N3362P · Destroyed NTSB OAK79FAMS1Accident · 4 fatalClosedPiper PA-23 · Missing AircraftFeb 3, 1979 · N1330P · Destroyed NTSB DEN79FA019Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna T210 · Boulder, COFeb 3, 1979 · N9490M · Destroyed NTSB LAX79FUG15Accident · 1 fatalClosedRand KR-2 · Victorville, CAJan 31, 1979 · N4KR · Destroyed NTSB MIA79FA045Accident · 2 fatalClosedHughes 269C · Andytown, FLJan 27, 1979 · N7450F · Destroyed NTSB LAX79FA027Accident · 1 fatalClosedLaister LP15 · Lake Elsinore, CAJan 27, 1979 · N15LP · Destroyed NTSB CHI79FA027Accident · 1 fatalClosedBeech 58P · Waukesha, WIJan 27, 1979 · N9ZZ · Destroyed NTSB ANC79FA035Accident · 2 fatalClosedMaule M-4 · Eureka Lodge, AKJan 24, 1979 · N2076U · Substantial damage NTSB LAX79FA026Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna T210L · Long Beach, CAJan 23, 1979 · N4634Q · Destroyed NTSB MKC79FA016Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 180J · Blair, NEJan 22, 1979 · N7836K · Destroyed NTSB LAX79FUG14Accident · 1 fatalClosedHeffron KR-2 · Corona, CAJan 20, 1979 · N456J · Destroyed NTSB DCA79AA007Accident · 6 fatalClosedLear Jet 25D · Detroit, MIJan 19, 1979 · N137GL · Destroyed NTSB CHI79FA025Accident · 4 fatalClosedAerostar 601 · Grand Rapids, MIJan 19, 1979 · N7437S · Destroyed NTSB CHI79FA023Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-28R · Memphis, INJan 19, 1979 · N1885F · Destroyed NTSB ANC79FA033Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna U206 · Cape Romanzof, AKJan 19, 1979 · N4970C · Destroyed NTSB LAX79FA025Accident · 4 fatalClosedCessna 175 · Wickenburg, AZJan 18, 1979 · N7494M · Destroyed NTSB FTW79FA043Accident · 1 fatalClosedAero Comdr 560 · Oklahoma City, OKJan 18, 1979 · N2684B · Destroyed NTSB CHI79FA024Accident · 3 fatalClosedPiper PA-23 · Scottown, OHJan 18, 1979 · N4031P · Destroyed NTSB SEA79FYA07Accident · 1 fatalClosedPitts S-2A · Montpelier, IDJan 17, 1979 · N79DG · Destroyed NTSB SEA79FA019Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 182P · Seattle, WAJan 17, 1979 · N8483M · Destroyed NTSB MIA79FA042Accident · 5 fatalClosedBell 47G2 · Opa Locka, FLJan 17, 1979 · N2873B · 2 aircraft · Destroyed NTSB MIA79FA041Accident · 2 fatalClosedBeech D-18S · Kenansville, FLJan 16, 1979 · N80W · Destroyed NTSB FTW79FA044Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 172N · Mount Judea, ARJan 16, 1979 · N2564L · Destroyed NTSB FTW79FA042Accident · 1 fatalClosedBeech C90 · Houston, TXJan 16, 1979 · N88CR · Destroyed