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.
Santa Rita, CA
Following a landing next to his service truck, the pilot got out of the helicopter to speak with the farmer. The pilot said that both he and the loader failed to notice that the 50-foot loading hose was still attached to the helicopter. He lifted off with the helicopter tethered by the hose. When the hose became taunt, the helicopter rolled over, descended, and collided with level terrain.
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the helicopter.
On October 8, 1996, at 0915 hours Pacific daylight time, a Texas Helicopter OH-13E, N51582, collided with terrain after an in-flight loss of control during the initial takeoff climb about 2 miles west of Santa Rita, California. The helicopter sustained substantial damage and the certificated commercial pilot was not injured. The helicopter was being operated by Gomes Farm Air Service, Salinas, California, as an aerial application flight under 14 CFR Part 137. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. According to the pilot, following a landing next to his service truck, he got out of the helicopter to speak with the farmer. His loader serviced the helicopter with a pesticide. The pilot said that both he and the loader failed to notice the 50-foot loading hose was still attached to the helicopter. He lifted off with the helicopter tethered by the hose. When the hose became taunt, the helicopter rolled over, descended and collided with level terrain.