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.
Elmira, CA
THE PILOT COMPLETED HIS SECOND SWATH RUN AND ROLLED INTO A 90-270 DEGREE TURN AT ABOUT 100-FEET AGL. AFTER ROLLING FROM THE LEFT BACK TO THE RIGHT, HE FELT THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTER AN AREA OF TURBULENT AIR. BELIEVING THAT HE HAD INADVERTENTLY FLOWN ACROSS THE VORTEX TURBULENCE GENERATED BY ANOTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE AREA, HE SAID THE TURBULENCE CAUSED HIS AIRCRAFT TO DESCEND AND THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND BEFORE HE COULD REACT AND RECOVER. THE PILOT STATED, THAT AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT'S GROSS WEIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,700 POUNDS.
the pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft after an inadvertent encounter with the wake turbulence from a preceding agricultural aircraft while maneuvering at low altitude.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 23, 1995, at 1130 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna A-188B, N731CZ, collided with the ground while maneuvering 1.5 miles south of Elmira, California. The aircraft was owned and operated by an agricultural operator and was conducting an aerial application flight under 14 CFR Part 137 of Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs). Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The certified commercial pilot was not injured. The flight originated from a private agricultural strip in Dixon, California, at 1110 on the day of the accident. The pilot completed his second swath run on a heading of 225 degrees and rolled into a 90-270 degree turn at about 100-feet agl. The pilot reported that, after rolling from the left back to right, he felt the aircraft encounter an area of turbulent air near the surface. He stated that he believed that he had inadvertently flown across the vortex turbulence generated by another aircraft that had just departed the area he was working. He said the turbulence caused his aircraft to descend abruptly which resulted in the aircraft's right wing contacting the ground before he could react and recover. After colliding with the ground by the right wing and right gear, the aircraft rolled onto its right side before coming to rest. The pilot stated that at the time of accident, the aircraft's gross weight was approximately 3,700 pounds.