Overall Trends
Total, fatal, and serious accidents in the selected range.
Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.
Fast key and full-text search with live filters, watches, and precise metadata.
Use quotes for exact phrase matches (for example "fuel selector valve").
Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.
Major cases, deep-report coverage, and investigation media across decades of NTSB history.
Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.
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.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING ACROBATIC MANEUVERS WHEN HE HEARD A 'POP' AND NOTED THAT HIS RIGHT UPPER AILERON WAS LOOSE. HE SLOWED DOWN, AND WAS ABLE TO RETURN AND LAND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. POSTFLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED A FAILURE OF THE UPPER RIGHT INBOARD AILERON WELDED BRACKET. FURTHER METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION AT THE SAFETY BOARD LABORATORY REVEALED 3 DISTINCT FATIGUE ORIGINS BETWEEN THE TOE OF THE WELD AND THE WELDED ZONES. THE WELD ITSELF EXHIBITED SHARP AND HIGH WELD CROWNS.
THE POOR WELDING QUALITY OF THE MANUFACTURER, RESULTING IN THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE AILERON ATTACHMENT BRACKET.
On July 4, 1994, about 1400 eastern daylight time, N61PS, a Pitts S2B, registered to the pilot David Swartz, experienced an in-flight control system failure while maneuvering on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot was not injured. The flight originated about 1330 the same day. The pilot stated that while performing aerobatics he heard a "pop". He then noticed partial loss of control of aileron travel. He returned to the airport and landed without further incident. Postflight inspection of the airplane revealed a failure of the upper, right, inboard aileron welded bracket. This same airplane experienced longeron failures at the welds on May 26, 1994, reference, NTSB accident case number MIA94LA154. The failed aileron bracket was submitted to the NTSB laboratory for examination. The examination revealed three distinct fatigue origins between the toe of the weld and the welded zones. The weld itself exhibited sharp and high weld crowns.