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.
Pearland, TX
The 400 hour private pilot mistook the freshly mowed area to the east of the runway 14L for the approved landing area known as 'sod runway 14L.' During the touchdown, the airplane impacted a shallow depression running perpendicular to his path and the airplane bounced up in the air. On the second touchdown, the airplane impacted a drainage ditch which collapsed the nose landing gear. According to the FAA inspector that traveled to the accident site, the confines of the 2,800 foot sod runway were difficult to define due to the lack of usage. He added that the grass was all the same tone of green as most of the surrounding area. Additionally, the worn out areas normally found in the vicinity of the touchdown zone, as well as along the runway centerline, were missing. Those visual cues normally help the pilots define the confines of the runway. The pilot's familiarity with sod runway 14L and the airport could not be determined.
The pilot's selection of the wrong runway/landing area. A factor was the lack of visual runway cues available to the pilot.
On May 31, 1998, at 1700 central daylight time, a Cessna 150L airplane, N19271, was substantially damaged while landing near Pearland, Texas. The non-instrument rated private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was owned and operated by Fancy Flights of Pearland, Texas, under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight for which a flight plan was not filed. The local flight originated from the Clover Field Airport, near Pearland, Texas, at 1615. According to personnel at Clover Field, while landing on sod runway 14L, the 400 hour private pilot mistook the freshly mowed area to the east of the runway 14L for the approved landing area. During the touchdown, the airplane impacted a shallow depression running perpendicular to his path and the airplane bounced up in the air. On the second touchdown, the airplane impacted a drainage ditch resulting in the collapsing of the nose landing gear. According to the FAA inspector that traveled to the accident site, the confines of the 2,800 foot sod runway were difficult to define due to the lack of usage. He added that the grass was all the same tone of green as most of the surrounding area. Additionally, the worn out areas normally found in the vicinity of the touchdown zone, as well as along the runway centerline, were missing. Those visual cues normally assist pilots in defining the confines of the runway. Two sets of freshly painted tires were found on both approach ends of the runway. The investigation determine that the pilot was home-based at Clover Field; however, it could not determine if the pilot had previously used sod runway 14L. The pilot's overall familiarity with the airport could not be established. Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that the propeller, engine mounts, rudder, and the nose landing gear assembly were damaged. The engine firewall sustained structural damage.