Research
The whole record, reshaped by a question.
Every count below is the Board's own coding across the cases in scope — findings, occurrences, phases, recommendations, the evidence held. Click any bar to make it the filter. No fleet-exposure data exists here, so these are cases, never rates.
AircraftAllBoeing / McDonnell DouglasAirbusEmbraerBombardier / De HavillandBellSikorskyRobinsonCessnaPiperBeechcraft
OccurrenceAllTurbulence encounterCollision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) Loss of control in flightGround collisionFire/smoke (non-impact)Cabin safety eventPowerplant sys/comp malf/failSys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)TailstrikeControlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)Air traffic eventRunway excursion
Showing 59 cases · 2009–2009
59
cases in this slice
6
fatal accidents
88
lives lost
53
with a probable cause
53
with coded findings
107
safety recommendations
The record over time
cases per year by cohort, and the lives lost — click a year to focus on itCases per year
Major investigationPart 121 airlinePart 135 fatal
Fatalities per year
Fatalities
Why accidents happen
53 coded casesthe Board's findings taxonomy — causal findings in the probable cause, contributing factors beside them; occurrences and the phase of flight the defining event sat inPersonnel issues30 cases · 66 causal · 3 contributing
- Task performance — Communication (personnel), Use of equip/info16
- Action/decision — Action, Info processing/decision13
- Psychological — Attention/monitoring, Perception/orientation/illusion9
- Physical — Alertness/Fatigue, Impairment/incapacitation5
- Miscellaneous — (general)1
- Experience/knowledge — Training1
Environmental issues28 cases · 26 causal · 14 contributing
- Conditions/weather/phenomena — Turbulence, Temp/humidity/pressure20
- Physical environment — Object/animal/substance6
- Operating environment — Approach aid coverage/avail, Airport facilities/design4
- Task environment — Pressures/demands2
Aircraft21 cases · 33 causal · 10 contributing
- Aircraft systems — Landing gear system, Oxygen system11
- Aircraft structures — Empennage structure, Fuselage5
- Aircraft oper/perf/capability — Performance/control parameters5
- Aircraft power plant — Engine fuel and control, Engine controls4
- Aircraft handling/service — Parking/securing, Placards and markings3
- Fluids/misc hardware — Fluids2
Organizational issues10 cases · 13 causal · 8 contributing
- Support/oversight/monitoring — Training, Documentation/record keeping6
- Management — Policy/procedure5
- Development — Design, Selection/certification/testing3
Not determined1 cases · 1 causal · 0 contributing
- Not determined — (general)1
Solid = cited in the probable cause · outlined = contributing factor · hover a row for the most-cited specifics.
Occurrences coded
- Turbulence encounter · 15 defining15
- Aircraft structural failure · 4 defining5
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) · 5 defining5
- Abnormal runway contact · 4 defining4
- Ground collision · 4 defining4
- Runway incursion veh/AC/person · 6 defining4
- Birdstrike · 4 defining4
- Cabin safety event · 1 defining4
- Loss of control in flight · 2 defining4
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail · 1 defining2
- Air traffic event · 2 defining2
- Landing gear collapse · 2 defining2
- Aerodynamic stall/spin · 1 defining2
Phase of flight of the defining event
- Enroute26
- Landing10
- Approach7
- Taxi6
- Standing4
- Takeoff4
- Unknown2
- Maneuvering1
- InitialClimb1
Aircraft and operators
by manufacturer family and operating rule — counts of cases, with no fleet-size denominator, so a busy family simply flies moreAircraft family
- Boeing / McDonnell Douglas · 1 fatal31
- Bombardier / De Havilland · 1 fatal8
- Other · 1 fatal3
- ATR1
- Piper · 1 fatal1
- Saab1
- Cessna · 1 fatal1
- Sikorsky · 1 fatal1
Operators with the most cases
- Delta Air Lines9
- Continental Airlines4
- Southwest Airlines3
- Airtran Airways2
- Atlantic Southeast Airlines2
- Jetblue Airways2
- Northwest Airlines2
- Pinnacle Airlines2
- United Airlines2
- Us Airways2
- Air Tran Airways1
- American Airlines1
What changed because of them
107 recommendations · 3 opensafety recommendations issued from these cases, by the NTSB's status of the response- Closed · acceptable 42
- Closed · unacceptable 59
- Closed · superseded or reconsidered 3
- Open · acceptable response 2
- Open · unacceptable response 1
Issued per year
Recommendations
Reiterated most often
- A-10-013reiterated ×1Closed - Acceptable Alternate Action
TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION: Issue an advisory circular with guidance on leadership training for upgrading captains at 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121, 135, and 91K operators, including methods and tec…
- A-10-014reiterated ×1Closed - Unacceptable Action
TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION: Require all 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121, 135, and 91K operators to provide a specific course on leadership training to their upgrading captains that is consistent with …
- A-10-017reiterated ×1Closed - Exceeds Recommended Action
TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION: Require 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121, 135, and 91K operators to document and retain electronic and/or paper records of pilot training and checking events in sufficient d…
- A-10-019reiterated ×1Closed - Exceeds Recommended Action
TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION: Require 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121, 135, and 91K operators to provide the training records requested in Safety Recommendation A-10-17 to hiring employers to fulfill th…
- A-10-020reiterated ×1Closed - Unacceptable Action
TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION: Develop a process for verifying, validating, auditing, and amending pilot training records at 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121, 135, and 91K operators to guarantee the accur…
Evidence held
what the corpus can show for this slice, year by year — a docket, decoded flight data, a transcript, photographs, controller audioWhat the record says for this slice
a pattern, not a findingthe causal findings the Board cited most often across the 53 coded cases here- Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence · Environmental issues · 23%12 cases
- Action/decision › Action · Personnel issues · 21%11 cases
- Task performance › Communication (personnel) · Personnel issues · 19%10 cases
- Psychological › Attention/monitoring · Personnel issues · 15%8 cases
- Task performance › Use of equip/info · Personnel issues · 11%6 cases
- Physical environment › Object/animal/substance · Environmental issues · 9%5 cases
- Action/decision › Info processing/decision · Personnel issues · 9%5 cases
- Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters · Aircraft · 9%5 cases
- Aircraft systems › Landing gear system · Aircraft · 8%4 cases
- Physical › Impairment/incapacitation · Personnel issues · 6%3 cases
- Physical › Alertness/Fatigue · Personnel issues · 6%3 cases
- Support/oversight/monitoring › Training · Organizational issues · 4%2 cases
The cases
59 of 59newest first — open any case for its recorders, transcript, photographs and analyst| Date | Case | Aircraft | Operator | Where | Outcome | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-12-26 | CEN10IA084 Part 121 airline | ATR ATR72 | EXECUTIVE AIRLINES INC | Dallas, TX | No injury | 25 docs · FDR tables |
| 2009-12-23 | DCA10RA017 Part 121 airline | BOEING 737 | American Airlines Inc., | Kingston | Serious injury | no docket · open |
| 2009-12-18 | DCA10CA018 Part 121 airline | BOMBARDIER CL600 2C10 | American Eagle | Dallas, TX | Minor injury | 1 docs |
| 2009-12-14 | DCA10IA015 Part 121 airline | BOEING MD | American Airlines | Charlotte, NC | No injury | 30 docs · recorder reports |
| 2009-12-04 | OPS10IA003 Part 121 airline | PINNACLE AIRLINES INC | Detroit, MI | No injury | 1 docs | |
| 2009-11-19 | DCA10FA012 Part 121 airline | BOEING 777-200 | United Airlines Inc., | New Market, VA | Serious injury | no docket |
| 2009-11-15 | CEN10IA053 Part 121 airline | AIRBUS A319-111 | Frontier Airlines | Kansas City, MO | No injury | 4 docs |
| 2009-11-02 | WPR10LA044 Part 121 airline | MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD-90-30 | DELTA AIR LINES INC | Phoenix, AZ | No injury | 4 docs |
| 2009-10-27 | ERA10CA036 Part 121 airline | BOEING 767-432ER | DELTA AIR LINES INC | Atlanta, GA | Serious injury | 3 docs |
| 2009-10-26 | ERA10LA041 Part 121 airline | BOEING 717-200 | Air Tran Airways | Pleasant Grove, NC | Serious injury | 12 docs · FDR tables |
| 2009-10-21 | DCA10IA001 Part 121 airline | AIRBUS A320 | NORTHWEST AIRLINES INC | Minneapolis, MN | No injury | 47 docs · FDR tables |
| 2009-10-20 | DCA10WA004 Part 121 airline | MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD11 | CENTURION AIR CARGO INC | Ciudad de la Costa | No injury | no docket · open |
| 2009-10-19 | OPS10IA001 Part 121 airline | BOEING 767 | Delta Air Lines, Inc. | Atlanta Hartsfield Intl. Apt. (KATL), GA | No injury | 21 docs · recorder reports |
| 2009-10-05 | ERA10CA022 Part 121 airline | BOEING 767-3P6 | DELTA AIR LINES INC | Unknown | Serious injury | 3 docs |
| 2009-09-18 | ENG09IA018 Part 121 airline | BOEING 767 | Continental Airlines | Newark, NJ | No injury | no docket |
| 2009-09-08 | ENG09IA016 Part 121 airline | BOEING 767 432ER | DELTA AIR LINES INC | St. Johns | — | 1 docs |
| 2009-09-08 | ENG09IA014 Part 121 airline | BOEING 737 | Southwest Airlines, Co. | Los Angeles, CA | No injury | 8 docs |
| 2009-09-03 | ENG09IA017 Part 121 airline | EMBRAER ERJ 190-100 IGW | JetBlue Airways | Nassau | Minor injury | no docket |
| 2009-08-29 | ERA09LA529 Part 121 airline | BOMBARDIER INC DHC-8-202 | CHAMPLAIN ENTERPRISES INC | Sterling, VA | — | 9 docs · recorder reports |
| 2009-08-27 | ERA09LA488 Part 121 airline | BOEING 717-200 | Airtran Airways | Inverness, FL | Serious injury | 22 docs · FDR tables |
| 2009-08-08 | ERA09MA447 Major investigation | PIPER PA-32R-300 | STEVEN M ALTMAN | Hoboken, NJ | Fatal · 9 | no docket |
| 2009-08-06 | ERA09LA444 Part 121 airline | BOEING OF CANADA/DEHAV DIV DHC-8-311 | PIEDMONT AIRLINES INC | Fayetteville, NC | Serious injury | 4 docs |
| 2009-08-04 | DCA09CA069 Part 121 airline | BOMBARDIER INC CL-600-2B19 | PINNACLE AIRLINES INC | Louisville, KY | Serious injury | 1 docs |
| 2009-08-03 | DCA09IA071 Part 121 airline | BOEING 767-224 | CONTINENTAL AIRLINES INC | Bavaro | Minor injury | no docket |
| 2009-07-31 | CEN09IA606 Part 121 airline | SAAB 340B | Mesaba Aviation, Inc. | Traverse City, MI | No injury | 2 docs |
| 2009-07-27 | DCA09FA068 Part 121 airline | EMBRAER EMB170 | Republic Airlines Inc., | Norfolk, VA | Serious injury | 6 docs · FDR tables |
| 2009-07-20 | DCA09WA066 Part 121 airline | BOEING 767 | United Airlines | Keflavik | No injury | no docket · open |
| 2009-07-15 | ENG09IA009 Part 121 airline | BOEING 737-3B7 | US AIRWAYS INC | Charlotte (CLT), NC | No injury | no docket |
| 2009-07-13 | DCA09FA065 Part 121 airline | BOEING 737 | SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO | Charleston, WV | No injury | 21 docs · FDR tables |
| 2009-07-11 | CEN09LA461 Part 121 airline | EMBRAER-EMPRESA BRASILEIRA DE ERJ 170-20 | REPUBLIC AIRLINE INC | Indianapolis, IN | Serious injury | 1 docs |
| 2009-07-10 | ERA09LA396 Part 121 airline | AIRBUS A320-232 | JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORP | Fort Myers, FL | Serious injury | 10 docs · recorder reports |
| 2009-06-26 | OPS09IA009 Part 121 airline | BOMBARDIER INC DHC-8-202 | CONTINENTAL AIRLINES INC | Cleveland, OH | No injury | no docket |
| 2009-06-18 | OPS09IA008 Part 121 airline | AIRBUS A320 | USAirways | Boston, MA | No injury | 5 docs |
| 2009-06-11 | ERA09IA338 Part 121 airline | BOMBARDIER INC CL-600-2B1 | Atlantic Southeast Airlines | Atlanta, GA | No injury | 35 docs · FDR tables |
| 2009-06-10 | ENG09IA007 Part 121 airline | BOEING 757-222 | UNITED AIR LINES INC | Denver, CO | No injury | no docket |
| 2009-06-03 | OPS09IA007 Part 121 airline | BOEING 737-7H4 | Cleveland, OH | No injury | no docket | |
| 2009-06-01 | OPS09IA006 Part 121 airline | MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD80 | Chicago, IL | No injury | no docket | |
| 2009-05-21 | WPR09LA255 Part 121 airline | EMBRAER EMB-135 | American Eagle Airlines Inc | Los Angeles, CA | No injury | 8 docs · FDR tables |
| 2009-05-20 | DCA09CA051 Part 121 airline | BOEING 767 332 | Delta Air Lines | San Juan, PR | Serious injury | 3 docs · FDR tables |
| 2009-05-16 | ERA09LA418 Part 121 airline | BOEING 757 | Delta Air Lines, Inc. | Cuba | Serious injury | 3 docs |
| 2009-05-13 | CEN09IA294 Part 121 airline | BOEING 737 | SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO | Houston, TX | Minor injury | 20 docs · FDR tables |
| 2009-05-06 | DCA09FA048 Part 121 airline | BOEING DC-10 | World Airways | Baltimore, MD | Serious injury | 32 docs · FDR tables |
| 2009-05-04 | DCA09FA047 Part 121 airline | AIRBUS A320 | NORTHWEST AIRLINES INC | Denver, CO | Minor injury | 15 docs · recorder reports |
| 2009-04-21 | WPR09LA211 Part 121 airline | DE HAVILLAND DHC-8 | Mesa Airlines | Phoenix, AZ | No injury | 8 docs · recorder reports |
| 2009-04-18 | CEN09LA256 Part 121 airline | BOEING 737-724 | CONTINENTAL AIRLINES INC | McAllen, TX | Serious injury | 6 docs · FDR tables |
| 2009-04-17 | DCA09WA075 Part 121 airline | MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD11 | ARROW AIR INC | Batco | No injury | no docket · open |
| 2009-03-28 | ERA09LA224 Part 121 airline | MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD88 | Delta Air Lines Inc | Atlanta, GA | Serious injury | 8 docs |
| 2009-03-23 | DCA09RA041 Part 121 airline | MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD11 | FedEx Corporation | Narita | Fatal · 2 | no docket · open |
| 2009-03-22 | WPR09MA159 Major investigation | PILATUS PC-12/45 | Eagle Cap Leasing, Inc. | Butte, MT | Fatal · 14 | 78 docs |
| 2009-02-28 | DCA09FA033 Part 121 airline | BOMBARDIER CRJ | Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Inc. | Tallahassee, FL | No injury | 24 docs · recorder reports |
| 2009-02-21 | WPR09IA123 Part 121 airline | EMBRAER EMB-120ER | SKYWEST AIRLINES INC | Salt Lake City, UT | No injury | 3 docs |
| 2009-02-20 | DCA09WA029 Part 121 airline | BOEING 747 | Tokyo | Serious injury | no docket · open | |
| 2009-02-19 | OPS09IA002 Part 121 airline | AIRTRAN AIRWAYS INC | Tampa, FL | — | 5 docs | |
| 2009-02-13 | DCA09MA027 Major investigation | BOMBARDIER INC DHC-8-402 | COLGAN AIR INC | Clarence Center, NY | Fatal · 49 | 2 docs · recorder reports |
| 2009-02-08 | ERA09MA157 Major investigation | CESSNA 206H | Jorge Bringuier-Alfaro | Quebradillas, PR | Fatal · 6 | 30 docs |
| 2009-01-27 | CEN09MA142 Major investigation | AEROSPATIALE ALENIA ATR 42-320 | Empire Airlines | Lubbock, TX | Serious injury | 140 docs · FDR tables |
| 2009-01-15 | DCA09MA026 Major investigation | AIRBUS A320 | US AIRWAYS INC | Weehawken, NJ | Serious injury | 123 docs · FDR tables |
| 2009-01-04 | CEN09MA117 Major investigation | SIKORSKY S-76C | PHI INC | Morgan City, LA | Fatal · 8 | 29 docs · FDR tables |
| 2009-01-02 | ENG09IA002 Part 121 airline | BOEING 777 | Delta Air Lines | Atlanta, GA | No injury | no docket |