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.
Perkasie, PA
THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED ON ITS SECOND TEST FLIGHT AFTER MANUFACTURE. WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD THE ENGINE 'MAKING POWER CHANGES' AND 'SURGING' WHILE THE AIRPLANE WAS MANEUVERING AT 30 TO 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. ALSO, THEY REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE BANKED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT AND FELL TO THE GROUND. A POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK CONTAINED ONLY TRACES OF FUEL, WHILE THE RIGHT TANK HELD AN ESTIMATED 8 TO 9 GALLONS. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS DISCOVERED TO BE 'JAMMED' IN A POSITION BETWEEN THE LEFT & RIGHT DETENTS; INVESTIGATORS WERE ABLE TO LOOSEN THE SELECTOR, BUT IT REQUIRED 'EXCESSIVE FORCE AND TWO HANDS.' THE PILOT WAS FOUND ABOUT 9 FEET FROM THE WRECKAGE; BOTH THE SEAT BELT AND SHOULDER HARNESS WERE UNBUCKLED. INVESTIGATORS NOTED THAT THE PILOT COULD NOT REACH THE FUEL SELECTOR WITH THE SHOULDER HARNESS SECURED. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE ENGINE.
THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED ON ITS SECOND TEST FLIGHT AFTER MANUFACTURE. WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD THE ENGINE 'MAKING POWER CHANGES' AND 'SURGING' WHILE THE AIRPLANE WAS MANEUVERING AT 30 TO 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. ALSO, THEY REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE BANKED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT AND FELL TO THE GROUND. A POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK CONTAINED ONLY TRACES OF FUEL, WHILE THE RIGHT TANK HELD AN ESTIMATED 8 TO 9 GALLONS. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS DISCOVERED TO BE 'JAMMED' IN A POSITION BETWEEN THE LEFT & RIGHT DETENTS; INVESTIGATORS WERE ABLE TO LOOSEN THE SELECTOR, BUT IT REQUIRED 'EXCESSIVE FORCE AND TWO HANDS.' THE PILOT WAS FOUND ABOUT 9 FEET FROM THE WRECKAGE; BOTH THE SEAT BELT AND SHOULDER HARNESS WERE UNBUCKLED. INVESTIGATORS NOTED THAT THE PILOT COULD NOT REACH THE FUEL SELECTOR WITH THE SHOULDER HARNESS SECURED. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE ENGINE.