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.
Palm Springs, CA
THE PILOT INDICATED THAT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE HE HAD RECEIVED A FULL WEATHER BRIEFING AND NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER WAS FORECAST FOR HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE INITIAL PORTION OF THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL. HOWEVER, WHEN THE PILOT ENTERED A MOUNTAIN PASS AREA AT HIS CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE WINDS BECAME VERY STRONG AND HE EXPERIENCED SEVERE TURBULENCE. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN INTO THE WIND FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. WHILE MANEUVERING HE LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND COLLIDED WITH THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 3,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL.
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER CRUISE ALTITUDE UPON ENTERING A MOUNTAIN PASS AREA, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE PILOT'S LOSS OF CONTROL WERE RELATED TO HIS ENCOUNTERING TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS.
THE PILOT INDICATED THAT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE HE HAD RECEIVED A FULL WEATHER BRIEFING AND NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER WAS FORECAST FOR HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE INITIAL PORTION OF THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL. HOWEVER, WHEN THE PILOT ENTERED A MOUNTAIN PASS AREA AT HIS CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE WINDS BECAME VERY STRONG AND HE EXPERIENCED SEVERE TURBULENCE. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN INTO THE WIND FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. WHILE MANEUVERING HE LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND COLLIDED WITH THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 3,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL.