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.
Belleville, IL
THE PILOT STATED THAT AS THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO CLIMB OUT THERE WAS A LOSS OF ENGINE RPM AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. A POST-ACCIDENT ENGINE RUN-UP WAS CONDUCTED. THE ENGINE STARTED EASILY AND OPERATED NORMALLY AT LOW POWER SETTINGS. AFTER A WARM UP PERIOD THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED TO 2500 RPM, AND 'THE ENGINE THEN STARTED TO RUN ROUGH, WITH BLACK SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING OUT THE EXHAUST... .' A FUEL PUMP BENCH TEST REVEALED THE HIGH END DISCHARGE ADJUSTMENT WAS SET HIGHER THAN RECOMMENDED. THE TEST STAND DISCHARGE GAGE PEGGED ON THE HIGH SIDE WHEN THE RPM WAS ADVANCED TO 2600 RPM PER TEST PARAMETERS. THE AIRCRAFT HAD FLOWN 1.1 HOURS SINCE THE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED 8 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. LOGBOOKS INDICATED THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM WAS REMOVED, OVERHAULED, REINSTALLED AND ADJUSTED IN DECEMBER, 1990, APPROXIMATELY 4 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
THE IMPROPER FUEL PUMP HIGH END DISCHARGE ADJUSTMENT. A RELATED FACTOR IS IMPROPER MAINTENANCE/ANNUAL INSPECTION.
THE PILOT STATED THAT AS THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO CLIMB OUT THERE WAS A LOSS OF ENGINE RPM AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. A POST-ACCIDENT ENGINE RUN-UP WAS CONDUCTED. THE ENGINE STARTED EASILY AND OPERATED NORMALLY AT LOW POWER SETTINGS. AFTER A WARM UP PERIOD THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED TO 2500 RPM, AND 'THE ENGINE THEN STARTED TO RUN ROUGH, WITH BLACK SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING OUT THE EXHAUST... .' A FUEL PUMP BENCH TEST REVEALED THE HIGH END DISCHARGE ADJUSTMENT WAS SET HIGHER THAN RECOMMENDED. THE TEST STAND DISCHARGE GAGE PEGGED ON THE HIGH SIDE WHEN THE RPM WAS ADVANCED TO 2600 RPM PER TEST PARAMETERS. THE AIRCRAFT HAD FLOWN 1.1 HOURS SINCE THE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED 8 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. LOGBOOKS INDICATED THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM WAS REMOVED, OVERHAULED, REINSTALLED AND ADJUSTED IN DECEMBER, 1990, APPROXIMATELY 4 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.