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.
Newark, NJ
The airplane, Flight 943, had been vectored for landing, and to expect a RWY 4R ILS, with a sidestep maneuver to land RWY 4L. ATIS had reported RWY 4R closed. While being vectored, ATIS was amended to include the opening of RWY 4R for landings. TRACON was not informed of the change; therefore the flight was not made aware of the change. Meanwhile, another B-727, Federal Express Flight 314, was cleared into position on RWY 4L and to hold for takeoff clearance. RWY 4L has a displaced threshold of approx 740 ft. Flight 943 was switched to the tower and given landing clearance for RWY 4R. The crew did not hear the instructions for the 'right,' and they lined up and landed on RWY 4L. The tower did not request acknowledgement of the landing clearance from Flight 943. The crew of Flight 943 did not see Flight 314 on the displaced threshold until they were just about over the airplane. The only lights on Flight 314 while holding were the navigation lights, rotating beacon and taxi light. Local controller also performing ground controller duties.
THE PILOT'S MISUNDERSTANDING OF LANDING RUNWAY, AND THE FAILURE OF THE LOCAL CONTROLLER TO ADEQUATELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THE FLIGHT. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCIDENT WERE: THE FAILURE OF TOWER PERSONNEL TO NOTIFY TRACON OF THE ATIS CHANGE, THE LOCAL CONTROLLER PERFORMING GROUND CONTROLLER DUTIES, AND THE PILOT'S EXPECTATION TO LAND ON RUNWAY 4L AS A RESULT OF THE ATIS.
THE AIRPLANE, FLIGHT 943, HAD BEEN VECTORED FOR LANDING, AND TO EXPECT A RWY 4R ILS, WITH A SIDESTEP MANEUVER TO LAND RWY 4L. ATIS HAD REPORTED RWY 4R CLOSED. WHILE BEING VECTORED, ATIS WAS AMENDED TO INCLUDE THE OPENING OF RWY 4R FOR LANDINGS. TRACON WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE CHANGE; THEREFORE THE FLIGHT WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE CHANGE. MEANWHILE, ANOTHER B-727, FEDERAL EXPRESS FLT 314, WAS CLEARED INTO POSITION ON RWY 4L AND TO HOLD FOR TAKEOFF CLEARANCE. RWY 4L HAS A DISPLACED THRESHOLD OF APPROX 740 FT. FLIGHT 943 WAS SWITCHED TO THE TOWER AND GIVEN LANDING CLEARANCE FOR RWY 4R. THE CREW DID NOT HEAR THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE 'RIGHT,' AND THEY LINED UP AND LANDED ON RWY 4L. THE TOWER DID NOT REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE LANDING CLEARANCE FROM FLIGHT 943. THE CREW OF FLIGHT 943 DID NOT SEE FLIGHT 314 ON THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD UNTIL THEY WERE JUST ABOUT OVER THE AIRPLANE. THE ONLY LIGHTS ON FLIGHT 314 WHILE HOLDING WERE THE NAVIGATION LIGHTS, ROTATING BEACON AND TAXI LIGHT. LOCAL CONTOLLER ALSO PERFORMING GROUND CONTROLLER DUTIES.