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.
Oxford, ME
The pilot initiated a takeoff on runway 33. After liftoff, the left engine quit, followed shortly by the right engine. The pilot made a forced landing in an area with trees. An exam revealed the fuel tank selectors were in the auxiliary (AUX) positions. No fuel leaks were detected in the AUX tanks. The left AUX tank had 4 gallons of fuel remaining, and the right AUX tank had 5 gallons remaining. Though damaged, 1 gallon of fuel was found in the left main tank; the right main tank was empty. After the accident, 15 gallons of fuel was added to the left main tank before it began to leak; no test of the right main tank was made since its bladder was ruptured. The pilot's operating handbook required that for takeoff, the main fuel tanks be selected and that each main tank have a minimum of 13 gallons of fuel. After the accident, both engines were started and ran normally, using the fuel in the tanks. The pilot had a total of 30 hours in this make and model of airplane.
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT AND FUEL TANK SELECTION FOR TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND LOSS OF POWER IN BOTH ENGINES DURING TAKEOFF.
THE PILOT INITIATED A TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 33. AFTER LIFTOFF, THE LEFT ENGINE QUIT, FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN AREA WITH TREES. AN EXAM REVEALED THE FUEL TANK SELECTORS WERE IN THE AUXILIARY (AUX) POSITIONS. NO FUEL LEAKS WERE DETECTED IN THE AUX TANKS. THE LEFT AUX TANK HAD 4 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING, AND THE RIGHT AUX TANK HAD 5 GALLONS REMAINING. THOUGH DAMAGED, 1 GALLON OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT MAIN TANK; THE RIGHT MAIN TANK WAS EMPTY. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, 15 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE LEFT MAIN TANK BEFORE IT BEGAN TO LEAK; NO TEST OF THE RIGHT MAIN TANK WAS MADE SINCE ITS BLADDER WAS RUPTURED. THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK REQUIRED THAT FOR TAKEOFF, THE MAIN FUEL TANKS BE SELECTED AND THAT EACH MAIN TANK HAVE A MINIMUM OF 13 GALLONS OF FUEL. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, BOTH ENGINES WERE STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY, USING THE FUEL IN THE TANKS. THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL OF 30 HOURS IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRPLANE.