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.
Bakersfield, CA
On July 7, 1985, at 1917 PDT, a Polliwagen, N81PW, collided with the ground during an attempted go around at Bakersfield Airpark, Bakersfield, California, while on a personal flight. VMC prevailed at the time; no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed. The private pilot and his passenger received fatal injuries. The flight originated at Fresno, California, at about 1800 PDT. A witness stated that the aircraft made a normal approach to runway 30 and when it was 10 to 15 feet above the ground, the pilot added power to make a go around. The aircraft reportedly climbed to about 100 to 150 feet AGL. The witness lost sight of the aircraft at that time but stated that he heard the engine backfire 2 or 3 times and then he heard the impact. The aircraft came to rest adjacent to an FAA hangar. There was no damage to the aircraft inside the hangar. However, the aircraft burned and a Dempsey dumpster and an unoccupied parked automobile were damaged by fire.
ON JULY 7, 1985, AT 1917 PDT, A POLLIWAGEN, N81PW, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND DURING AN ATTEMPTED GO AROUND AT BAKERSFIELDAIRPARK, BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, WHILE ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VMC PREVAILED AT THE TIME; NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, AT ABOUT 1800 PDT. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT MADE A NORMAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 30 AND WHEN IT WAS 10 TO 15 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE PILOT ADDED POWER TO MAKE A GO AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT REPORTEDLY CLIMBED TO ABOUT 100 TO 150 FEET AGL. THE WITNESS LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AT THAT TIME BUT STATED THAT HE HEARD THE ENGINE BACKFIRE 2 OR 3 TIMES AND THEN HEARD THE IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ADJACENT TO AN FAA HANGAR. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT INSIDE THE HANGAR. HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT BURNED AND A DEMPSEY DUMSPSTER AND AN UNOCCUPIED PARKED AUTOMOBILE WERE DAMAGED BY FIRE.