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.
Carlsbad, CA
DURING FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VIBRATE SEVERELY, AND THEN THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DESCEND WITH SMOKE IN THE CABIN, AND THE ENGINE OUT LIGHT AND HORN WAS ACTIVATED. DURING LANDING, THE HELICOPTER SETTLED INTO THE DIRT, ROCKED FORWARD, THEN AFT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM DUE TO LOW ROTOR RPM. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT AN OVERRUNNING CLUTCH BEARING HAD FAILED. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE BECAUSE OF THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE. THE BEARING ASSEMBLY & INNER RACE (SHAFT) WAS EXPOSED TO TEMPERATURES GREATER THAN 1500 DEG F. THE OVERRUNNING CLUTCH WAS REPORTEDLY LUBRICATED 7 HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, AT THE LAST 100-HR INSPECTION. THE INSPECTION IS ALSO CONSIDERED A 300-HR INSPECTION; ACCORDING TO MDHC AT THE 300-HR INSPECTION THE BEARING IS TO BE REMOVED, CLEANED, INSPECTED AND REPACKED.
FAILURE OF THE OVERRUNNING CLUTCH ASSEMBLY BEARING FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
DURING FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VIBRATE SEVERELY, AND THEN THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DESCEND WITH SMOKE IN THE CABIN, AND THE ENGINE OUT LIGHT AND HORN WAS ACTIVATED. DURING LANDING, THE HELICOPTER SETTLED INTO THE DIRT, ROCKED FORWARD, THEN AFT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM DUE TO LOW ROTOR RPM. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT AN OVERRUNNING CLUTCH BEARING HAD FAILED. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE BECAUSE OF THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE. THE BEARING ASSEMBLY & INNER RACE (SHAFT) WAS EXPOSED TO TEMPERATURES GREATER THAN 1500 DEG F. THE OVERRUNNING CLUTCH WAS REPORTEDLY LUBRICATED 7 HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, AT THE LAST 100-HR INSPECTION. THE INSPECTION IS ALSO CONSIDERED A 300-HR INSPECTION; ACCORDING TO MDHC AT THE 300-HR INSPECTION THE BEARING IS TO BE REMOVED, CLEANED, INSPECTED AND REPACKED.