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.
Trinidad, CO
The pilot said that on departure climb out, everything appeared normal. Suddenly, at 1,000 feet agl, he reported losing all flight control. He said the amateur built experimental airplane continued to turn to the left, and he had no elevator control. The airplane gradually spiraled down until it hit the ground. Postaccident examination revealed that the left lift strut tube threaded attachment rod had broken. The kit manufacturer said that there are approximately 1,700 airplanes flying that utilize this wing attachment assembly, and the manufacturer has no record of any similar failures. The pilot said that he built the airplane in 1989, and it was substantially damaged in 1991. He said that he purchased new wings and most of the hardware was replaced new. He said that he replaced the left strut attachment bracket on the rebuilt airplane. It was not determined why the left lift strut attachment rod failed.
the failure of wing lift strut attachment rod for an unknown reason, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control during initial takeoff climb.
On August 20, 2000, approximately 1200 mountain daylight time, a Trammell Avid Flyer experimental home-built airplane, N7081M, was substantially damaged following a loss of aircraft control and subsequent impact with terrain near Perry Stokes Airport, Trinidad, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant in the airplane, was seriously injured. The pilot built, owned, and operated the airplane. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 local flight, which was originating at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed. The pilot said that he needed approximately half an hour of flight time to complete in order to meet his FAA required 40 hour sign off requirement. On departure climb out, everything appeared normal. Suddenly, at 1,000 feet above the ground, he lost all flight control. He said that the airplane continued to turn to the left, and he had no elevator control. The pilot said that if he maintained 65 mph that the wings would stay "somewhat level." The airplane gradually spiraled down until it hit the ground. The impact with terrain displaced the engine aft into the cockpit area. Postaccident examination of the airplane by the kit manufacturer revealed that the left lift strut tube threaded attachment rod was broken. This failure permitted the wing's warp to dissipate. Subsequently, this warp adjustment failure bound the flight controls for both ailerons and elevators. The kit manufacturer said that there are approximately 1,700 airplanes flying that utilize this wing attachment assembly, and the manufacturer has no record of any similar failures. The pilot said that he built the airplane in 1989, and that it was substantially damaged in 1991. He said that he purchased new wings and most of the hardware was replaced new. He said that he replaced the left strut attachment bracket on the rebuilt airplane.