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.
Kenton, OH
The pilot said he initiated his first takeoff in the tail-wheeled airplane with the elevator trim set at a nose high attitude, and the airplane lifted off the runway early. When the airplane was 5 to 10 feet above the ground, all visual relationship with runway was lost due to the airplane's limited visibility. The pilot further stated that when airplane broke free of ground effect, it stalled and impacted the ground. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact abnormalities of the airframe or engine. A review of the pilot's logbook revealed 90 hours of total flight experience, all in tricycle gear aircraft.
The pilot's premature rotation and failure to obtain/maintain airspeed during the takeoff, which resulted in a stall and impact with the ground. Factors in this accident were the pilot's lack of total experience in tail-wheeled aircraft, and the nose high elevator trim setting.
On October 15, 1998, about 1845 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt Sonerai II, N5DZ, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during takeoff from the Hardin County Airport (I95), Kenton, Ohio. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In a written statement the pilot said the accident flight was his first flight in the tail-wheeled airplane. After several taxi trips on the runway to establish the airplane's ground handling characteristics, and to familiarize himself with the "visual perspective," a takeoff was initiated. The pilot stated the elevator trim was at a "too nose high attitude." The pilot further stated: "...the aircraft became light on the wheels quite early...once the aircraft was 5-10 feet above the ground, all visual relationship with runway was lost due to the aircraft's limited visibility. Airspeed was 45-50 mph as the airplane ascended to about 20 feet and broke free of ground effect. (Aircraft stall speed is 55-60 mph) At which time the plane stalled straight level and impacted the ground.... Examination of the wreckage by an FAA Inspector did not reveal any pre-impact abnormalities of the airframe or engine. A review of the pilot's logbook revealed 90 hours of total flight experience, all in tricycle gear aircraft.