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.
Hana, HI
The intended 45 minute sightseeing helicopter flight departed the airport at about 1032 hours. Adverse weather conditions including thunderstorms, rain showers, and poor visibility were reported in the vicinity of the accident site throughout the morning. The accident aircraft pilot had a radio conversation with another sightseeing tour pilot between 1055 hours and about 1100 hours. This pilot contacted the accident aircraft pilot to try to determine which route she should take to avoid the adverse weather. She reported the accident pilot's last conversation with her as 'Don't come down this way, the weather is getting real bad.' A witness located on the ground in the vicinity of the accident reported rain showers and mountain obscuration at about the time of the accident. He further stated that he saw a blue and white helicopter flying in and out of the clouds and he could not understand why a helicopter would be flying so close to the mountains in consideration of the adverse weather. Examination of the wreckage showed the helicopter impacted a 30 degree slope in a level 15 degree right bank. Wreckage and debris were scattered over a distance of about 175 feet from the initial impact location.
THE PILOT INADEQUATELY EVALUATING THE ENROUTE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT MAKING THE INFLIGHT DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE INABILITY OF THE PILOT TO SEE AND AVOID THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN DUE TO THE THUNDERSTORMS AND OBSCURATION.
THE INTENDED 45 MINUTE SIGHT SEEING HELICOPTER FLIGHT DEPARTED THE AIRPORT AT ABOUT 1032 HOURS. ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS INCLUDING THUNDERSTORMS, RAIN SHOWERS, AND POOR VISIBILITY WERE REPORTED IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE THROUGHOUT THE MORNING. THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT PILOT HAD A RADIO CONVERSATION WITH ANOTHER SIGHT SEEING TOUR PILOT BETWEEN 1055 HOURS AND ABOUT 1100 HOURS. THIS PILOT CONTACTED THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT PILOT TO TRY TO DETERMINE WHICH ROUTE SHE SHOULD TAKE TO AVOID THE ADVERSE WEATHER. SHE REPORTED THE ACCIDENT PILOT'S LAST CONVERSATION WITH HER AS 'DON'T COME DOWN THIS WAY, THE WEATHER IS GETTING REAL BAD.' A WITNESS LOCATED ON THE GROUND IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT REPORTED RAIN SHOWERS AND MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION AT ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE SAW A BLUE AND WHITE HELICOPTER FLYING IN AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND HE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY A HELICOPTER WOULD BE FLYING SO CLOSE TO THE MOUNTAINS IN CONSIDERATION OF THE ADVERSE WEATHER. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE SHOWED THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED A 30 DEGREE SLOPE IN A LEVEL 15 DEGREE RIGHT BANK. WRECKAGE AND DEBRIS WERE SCATTERED OVER A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 175 FEET FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT LOCATION.