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NTSB investigations, CA

21 cases where the first occurrence was “Vortex turbulence encountered”.

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Cases per year

19832026

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Latest cases

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."eventStateOrRegion" = 'CA' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA' AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT o.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o."occurrenceNumber" = 1 AND o."occurrenceCode" = 410) 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.\"eventStateOrRegion\" = 'CA' AND c.\"eventCountry\" = 'USA'
    AND c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT o.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.\"occurrenceNumber\" = 1 AND o.\"occurrenceCode\" = 410)
  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."eventStateOrRegion" = 'CA' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT o.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o."occurrenceNumber" = 1 AND o."occurrenceCode" = 410)
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 LAX04LA318Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBoeing 737-3H4 · Los Angeles, CAthe flight's encounter with the wake turbulence from a preceding heavy airplane while on approach.Sep 14, 2004 · N601WN · No damage NTSB LAX04LA106Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportCox Thorpe T-18 · Compton, CAboth pilots' failure to see and avoid one another that resulted in the airplane's encounter with downwash induced wake vortices from the helicopter, and the airplane pilot's subsequent loss of control.Jan 23, 2004 · N64EC · Substantial damage NTSB LAX03LA024Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBeech 35 · Santa Ana, CAThe pilot's encounter with wake turbulence resulting in a loss of control. A related factor was insufficient separation by air traffic control.Nov 7, 2002 · N3373C · Substantial damage NTSB LAX02LA221Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBeech 58P · Santa Ana, CAthe pilot's failure to remain above the landing Boeing 757's glide path resulting in an encounter with wing tip vortices, a loss of directional control after touchdown, and collision with taxiway signs.Feb 3, 2002 · N4458S · Substantial damage NTSB LAX00LA035Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAmerican General AG5B · Van Nuys, CAThe pilot's encounter with unknown and unanticipated wake turbulence from a heavy transport aircraft, which was landing at another airport. A factor in the accident was the tower controller's failure to repeat a previously broadcast wake turbulence cautionary…Nov 13, 1999 · N1195L · Substantial damage NTSB LAX99LA291Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBoeing 737-322 · Santa Barbara, CAThe flight's encounter with wake vortices from a preceding heavy aircraft.Sep 2, 1999 · N371UA · Minor damage NTSB LAX98FA210Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 152 · Santa Ana, CAThe failure of the pilot-in-command to identify a proper touchdown point on the runway and maintain an appropriate glidepath so as to remain clear of vortex turbulence from the preceding large aircraft. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to…Jun 24, 1998 · N67421 · Destroyed NTSB LAX96LA148Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCessna 172P · Fullerton, CAthe student pilot's inadequate compensation for the encounter with wake turbulence from a preceding small aircraft, and his improper bounced landing recovery technique.Mar 30, 1996 · N9964L · Substantial damage NTSB LAX94IA203Incident · Minor injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportFairchild SA-227 · Santa Monica, CAFAA inadequate separation standards between large and heavy category aircraft.Apr 23, 1994 · N27220 · Minor damage NTSB LAX94FA073Accident · 5 fatalField investigationFinal reportIsrael Aircraft Industries 1124A · Santa Ana, CAThe pilot-in-command's failure to maintain adequate separation behind the Boeing 757 and/or remain above its flight path during the approach, which resulted in an encounter with wake vortices from the 757. Factors related to the accident were: an inadequacy…Dec 16, 1993 · N309CK · Destroyed NTSB LAX90LA205Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCessna 152 II · Rialto, CAPilot's inadequate visual outlook which resulted in an inflight encounter with wake turbulence produced by a hovering helicopter.Jun 2, 1990 · N49796 · Substantial damage NTSB LAX90FA002Accident · 4 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA-28RT-201T · Palm Springs, CAImproper in-flight planning/decision by the pilot, and his failure to follow wake turbulence avoidance procedures, which resulted in a vortex turbulence encounter. A factor related to the accident was: the pilot's failure to assure the aircraft was loaded…Oct 6, 1989 · N3063T · Destroyed NTSB LAX89LA312Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCessna 152 · Santa Paula, CAImproper in-flight planning/decision by the student pilot. Contributing factors were the parked aircraft, hangar, and the student pilot's lack of total experience.Sep 14, 1989 · N49697 · Substantial damage NTSB LAX89LA302Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCessna 180 · Santa Ana, CAThe pilot's improper in-flight planning after being advised of possible wake turbulence.Sep 6, 1989 · N1739C · Substantial damage NTSB LAX89LA052Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPiper PA-28R-201T · Van Nuys, CAThe pilot lost control of the aircraft while descending for landing and collided with a pole. The pilot stated that he was cleared to land behind a king air, on runway 16R. The pilot stated that about the time he descended to 50 feet AGL, near the threshold,…Nov 19, 1988 · N4306M · Substantial damage NTSB LAX88LA099Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCessna 152 · El Toro, CAThe student plt was practicing touch-&-go landings & was cleared for an apch behind a C-130. He stated that he noted the touchdown point of the C-130 & planned his apch to remain above the C-130'S flt path. However, just before landing, when the acft was at…Jan 27, 1988 · N4914H · Destroyed NTSB LAX87LA106Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCessna 170B · Plaster City, CADuring a local business flight the pilot was flying low, approximately 50 ft AGL, and slow with 30 degrees of flaps extended to take aerial photographs of a motorcyclist on the ground. Upon completing a 360 degree turn to the left, the aircraft flew through…Feb 2, 1987 · N3441C · Substantial damage NTSB LAX86LA263Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportNorth American AT-6D · Truckee, CADuring an air show 3 North American, AT-6, acft took off in what the plt of the 3rd acft described as 'staggered' sequence. A witness described the departures as being 'information' or in 'close proximity' to each other. The first 2 acft gained altitude…Jun 22, 1986 · N29936 · Substantial damage NTSB LAX86FA221Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportAerospatiale TB20 · Van Nuys, CAWhile in the traffic pattern for rwy 16L the light acft plt was cautioned about possible wake turbulence from an arriving C-130 hercules acft landing on rwy 16R. The light acft plt acknowledged observing the C-130, which was above him. The C-130 landed on rwy…May 17, 1986 · N67TTB · Destroyed NTSB LAX84IA153Incident · Minor injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportMcdonnell Douglas DC-9-30 · Los Angeles, CAAn aeromexico DC-9 encountered wake turbulence from a twa L-1011 on the approach to rwy 24L. The aeromexico acft was 6 miles (1 min & 10 sec) behind the twa acft & 800 ft below its glideslope at 6100 ft when the incident occurred.Jan 10, 1984 · XAAMF · No damage NTSB LAX83LA334Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCessna A188B · Calipatria, CAThe acft made a hard landing in a cotton field during a crop dusting operation after buffeting was felt in a turn. The pilot thought he was stalling in vortex turbulence from another acft in front of him. A toxic load of suprecide was dumped before the pilot…Jul 19, 1983 · N4463Q · Substantial damage