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.
Pontiac, MI
ACFT WAS SCHEDULED FOR AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT. DURING THE WX BRIEFING, THE CFI TOLD THE FSS SPECIALIST THAT THE FLT WOULD INCLUDE ENG-OUT PRACTICE. WITNESS STATEMENTS INDICATE THAT THE ACFT ROLLED SHARPLY TO THE RT AND NOSED DOWN AFTER ATTAINING ABOUT 100 FT OF ALT DURING THE CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND LEFT PROP AND LEFT WING TIP FIRST, IN AN INVERTED FLT ATTITUDE. DURING THE POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION, THE RT ENG PWR LEVER WAS SUBJECTED TO LAB EXAM AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE LOWER AFT PART OF THE LIFT GATE DETENT WAS WORN. THIS CREATED A RAMPING EFFECT BETWEEN THE ROUNDED EDGE OF THE LIFT GATE AND THE FLT IDLE STOP. A WORN LIFT GATE DETENT WOULD ALLOW THE POWER LEVER TO INADVERTENTLY BE MOVED INTO THE BETA RANGE, CAUSING ASYMMETRICAL DRAG AND DEGRADED AIRPLANE PERFORMANCE, PARTICULARLY IN CRITICAL PHASES OF FLIGHT.
ACFT WAS SCHEDULED FOR AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT. DURING THE WX BRIEFING, THE CFI TOLD THE FSS SPECIALIST THAT THE FLT WOULD INCLUDE ENG-OUT PRACTICE. WITNESS STATEMENTS INDICATE THAT THE ACFT ROLLED SHARPLY TO THE RT AND NOSED DOWN AFTER ATTAINING ABOUT 100 FT OF ALT DURING THE CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND LEFT PROP AND LEFT WING TIP FIRST, IN AN INVERTED FLT ATTITUDE. DURING THE POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION, THE RT ENG PWR LEVER WAS SUBJECTED TO LAB EXAM AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE LOWER AFT PART OF THE LIFT GATE DETENT WAS WORN. THIS CREATED A RAMPING EFFECT BETWEEN THE ROUNDED EDGE OF THE LIFT GATE AND THE FLT IDLE STOP. A WORN LIFT GATE DETENT WOULD ALLOW THE POWER LEVER TO INADVERTENTLY BE MOVED INTO THE BETA RANGE, CAUSING ASYMMETRICAL DRAG AND DEGRADED AIRPLANE PERFORMANCE, PARTICULARLY IN CRITICAL PHASES OF FLIGHT.