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.
Turlock, CA
The non helicopter rated pilot was using an unapproved takeoff and landing area between hangers on the airport. Numerous maintenance and certification irregularities were found. The gyrocopter had not had an annually required condition inspection since 1986. Numerous ground witnesses reported that after the pilot completed the modifications, he made one aborted attempt to takeoff. The pilot was next seen to taxi the gyrocopter back to his hangar where he made some minor adjustments to the rotor system. The pilot then taxied the aircraft back to the original takeoff spot, spun up the rotor system and initiated another takeoff. The witnesses saw the machine lift off in a steeper than normal nose high attitude, then the rotor blades began to wave erratically 'like spaghetti.' The gyrocopter hit the ground on its wheels and rolled into a pickup truck. The gyrocopter was examined by an FAA airworthiness inspector familiar with the machines. He reported that he found no identifiable preimpact malfunctions or failures.
THE PILOT'S OVER ROTATION OF THE GYROCOPTER DURING THE TAKEOFF SEQUENCE WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE POOR MAINTENANCE PRACTICES PERFORMED ON THE MACHINE.
THE NON HELICOPTER RATED PILOT WAS USING AN UNAPPROVED TAKEOFF AND LANDING AREA BETWEEN HANGERS ON THE AIRPORT. NUMEROUS MAINTENANCE AND CERTIFICATION IRREGULARITIES WERE FOUND. THE GYROCOPTER HAD NOT HAD AN ANNUALLY REQUIRED CONDITION INSPECTION SINCE 1986. NUMEROUS GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AFTER THE PILOT COMPLETED THE MODIFICATIONS, HE MADE ONE ABORTED ATTEMPT TO TAKEOFF. THE PILOT WAS NEXT SEEN TO TAXI THE GYROCOPTER BACK TO HIS HANGAR WHERE HE MADE SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO THE ROTOR SYSTEM. THE PILOT THEN TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL TAKEOFF SPOT, SPUN UP THE ROTOR SYSTEM AND INITIATED ANOTHER TAKEOFF. THE WITNESSES SAW THE MACHINE LIFT OFF IN A STEEPER THAN NORMAL NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, THEN THE ROTOR BLADES BEGAN TO WAVE ERRATICALLY 'LIKE SPAGHETTI.' THE GYROCOPTER HIT THE GROUND ON ITS WHEELS AND ROLLED INTO A PICKUP TRUCK. THE GYROCOPTER WAS EXAMINED BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR FAMILIAR WITH THE MACHINES. HE REPORTED THAT HE FOUND NO IDENTIFIABLE PREIMPACT MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES.