Skip to content

NTSB investigations

115 cases where the first occurrence was “Missing aircraft”.

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."mKey" IN (SELECT o.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o."occurrenceNumber" = 1 AND o."occurrenceCode" = 420) 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.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT o.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.\"occurrenceNumber\" = 1 AND o.\"occurrenceCode\" = 420)
  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."mKey" IN (SELECT o.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o."occurrenceNumber" = 1 AND o."occurrenceCode" = 420)
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 MIA84FA126Accident · 6 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 402B · Missing Acft, MSThis Acft disappeared on a flt from ft lauderdale, FL to bimini, Bahamas. After departure, the Acft flt plan was activated by radio. This was the last communication with the Acft. An itap radar readout revealed an Acft flt that departed at the appropriate…Mar 31, 1984 · N44NC · Destroyed NTSB MIA84LA114Accident · 4 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportPiper PA-28-235 · Sanibel Island, FLThe acft failed to arrive at its destination. A satellite photo of the area showed wx & cloud cover between the departure & destination arpts. Radar data showed that an acft had left key west, FL, at about 1700, went northbound at 4500 until it encounter bad…Mar 12, 1984 · N39677 · Destroyed NTSB MIA84LA035Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportCessna 340A · Nr. Orangeville, FLThe acft disappeared fm radar coverage while in cruise flt at 10,000 feet MSL near Orangeville, FL. The ATC transcript revealed that the plt had been inquiring abt the weather ahead of him and was cleared to descend to 6000 in order to get below strong…Nov 20, 1983 · N85JK · Destroyed NTSB ANC84FA013Accident · 4 fatalField investigationFinal reportCessna 206 · Kenai, AKThe acft departed nondalton, AK at aprx 1135 yst on a flt to Kenai, AK. At aprx 1215 yst, the plt report that he was over west forelands & requested the Kenai wx. About 4 min later, he requested a df steer to the Kenai arpt. A short time later, radio contact…Oct 31, 1983 · N9975 · Destroyed NTSB FTW84LAMS1Accident · 1 fatalFinal reportPiper PA-34-200 · Gulf Of MexicoThe acft disappeared on a flt over a part of the Gulf Of Mexico south of corpus christi in an area of thunderstorm activity. The storms were densely packed and it was considered unlikely that VFR flt could be conducted in the area. Theaccident acft was in…Oct 9, 1983 · N4437T · Destroyed NTSB MIA84LA007Accident · 3 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportCessna T-210-J · FLThis acft is missing on a flt from andros town, Bahamas to ft. pierce, FL. After departure the acft contacted nassau to file a VFR clearance and called miami fss to report 60 DME east of ft. lauderdale in heavy rain. The plt requested information on how to…Oct 4, 1983 · N2284R · Destroyed NTSB LAX83LAMS4Accident · 1 fatalFinal reportCessna 152 · Missing AcftThe plt reportedly took off on a 1 hr local. The Acft did not return & was presumed to have crashed. Also, it was presumed to have been destroyed & the plt was presumed to have been fatally injured. The owner/operator provided info which suggested that the…Mar 29, 1983 · N6329M · Destroyed NTSB ATL83FA049Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA-24-250 · Ocean City, MDThe pilot and passenger bodies were recovered from the atlantic Ocean near Ocean City, MD. Both persons had died of drowning without serious traumatic injuries. The aircraft was not recovered. Low ceilings and visibilities were reportedin the area throughout…Dec 2, 1982 · N5284P NTSB MIA83LA025Accident · 3 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportBeech 65-B80 · Missing Acft, BahamasThe flt departed ft. lauderdale at 1626, & at 1654 in the vicinity of bimini was advised to contact nassau radio. The flt failed to contact nassau & there were no further communications with the flt. Search efforts produced negative results. IMC prevailed on…Nov 5, 1982 · N1HQ · Destroyed NTSB FTW83FAMS1Accident · 4 fatalMissing aircraftFinal reportPiper PA-34-220T · Durango, COThe aircraft originally departed helena, mt on a flight believed to be to taos, NM. A landing was made at ogden, ut where the plane was serviced with 47.5 gal of fuel. The last radio communication was at 1735 MST 11/2/82. At that time, the aircraft was…Nov 2, 1982 · N80960 · Destroyed NTSB MIA83FA017Accident · 8 fatalField investigationFinal reportPiper PA-31 · Missing Acft (Atlantic Ocean)The flt departed anguilla at 0803 ast. At 0805 the plt radioed st. maarten & filed a VFR flt plan to st. thomas. The flt plan showed a direct route of flt at 4,500 ft MSL with a time enroute of 45 min. The flt failed to arrive at the destination. Search…Oct 20, 1982 · N777AA · Destroyed NTSB MIA83LA009Accident · 2 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportBeech H35 · Missing Acft (Atlantic Ocean)Aircraft Missing on a flight from marsh harbour Bahamas to ft. pierce FL. Thunderstorms were along the proposed route. Last recorded position on radar data log was at 27-06-13 north and 79-27-58 west. No radio communications were reported with flight after…Sep 28, 1982 · N5999 · Substantial damage NTSB ANC82DAG59Accident · 3 fatalFinal reportCessna 180 · Missing Acft, AKAircraft disappeared on this flight of 9/7/82. No flight plan was filed but it is believed pilot was on round robin from lake hood to two lakes and return.Sep 7, 1982 · N2194Z · Destroyed NTSB NYC83FA083Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportGrumman AA-1 · Missing Acft, NYThe non-instrument rated pilot called ground control and requested a VFR departure. He was advised that the field was IFR and an IFR clearance was needed. The pilot filed an IFR flight plan and about 15 min later called for his clearance. He had trouble…Jul 12, 1982 · N5637L · Destroyed NTSB MIA82DA157Accident · 4 fatalFinal reportPiper PA-28R-201T · West Of Cross C, FLAt about 1605 CDT, the pilot activated his VFR flight plan from nashville, TN to venice, FL. At 1813, the pilot contacted tallahasee fss and was briefed on the weather conditions to sarasota, FL. This was the last known radio communication with the aircraft.…Jul 5, 1982 · N505HP