Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

May 23, 1994 · Beech 65 · N6166Y

Pensacola, FL

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 23, 1994
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured, 1 unknown outcome)
Location
Pensacola, FL
Aircraft
Beech 65
Tail Number
N6166Y
Operator
Perkins Smith
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Minor
NTSB Number
MIA94LA149

AS THE PILOT WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AFTER STARTING TO TAXI, THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSEWHEEL ASSEMBLY CAME APART (EXPLODED) AND ONE SPLIT RIM STRUCK A GROUND OBSERVER, SEVERING HIS LEG. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE NUTS ON THE THROUGH-BOLTS FOR THE SPLIT RIM WERE IMPROPER AND THAT THE TIRES MAY HAVE BEEN OVER-INFLATED. THE AIRPLANE RECORDS WERE NOT COMPLETE. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT ASCERTAIN WHO HAD INSTALLED THE WRONG NUTS OR WHEN THE INSTALLION HAD BEEN PERFORMED.

NTSB Probable Cause

IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF NUTS ON THE NOSEWHEEL (SPLIT RIM) THROUGH-BOLTS BY UNKNOWN PERSONNEL, WHICH RESULTED IN A SUBSEQUENT FAILURE (SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL HALVES).

Full Narrative

On May 24, 1994, about 1644 central daylight time, N6166Y a Beech BE-65 was involved in a taxi accident at Pensacola Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida. The airplane was registered to Smith/Perkins Inc. and was operating as a 14 CFR 91 ferry flight. The airplane received minor damage and one person on the ground received serious injuries. The pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a military VFR flight plan was filed along with a weather briefing obtained from a Navy meteorologist. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The airplane started its taxi from the ramp when the nose wheel split rim exploded. A piece of the tire rim severed a ground observer's leg. Investigation revealed that the nuts on the through bolts for the split rims were improper, and the tires may have been over inflated with bottled dry nitrogen. The pilot-in-command had also acquired a ferry permit that specifically stated it would be conducted with certain limitations, including, carriage of cargo or persons other than crew for the purpose of the flight would be prohibited.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time17:44 EDT
Nearest AirportNas Sherman Field (1nm N)
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledVFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBeech 65
Tail NumberN6166Y
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageMinor
OperatorPerkins Smith
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-435 · Reciprocating · 340
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured, 1 unknown outcome)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total2
Crew 1Age 67 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind210° @ 11 kt
Visibility6 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point61 F
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time21:40
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data