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.
Williamsport, TN
Pilot stated that while departing from a small 2000 foot long private strip the engine appeared to lose power. The aircraft would not climb and collided with a tree at the departure end of the runway. The aircraft then collided with several other trees prior to colliding with the ground. Post crash running of the engine revealed no evidence to indicate any precrash mechanical failure or malfunction. Witnesses stated that after lift-off the aircraft appeared to level off at 10 to 15 feet above ground level and flew straight ahead colliding with the trees. There was no attempt to avoid the trees which had clear areas on both sides. In a written statement, the pilot reported lifting off at 80 knots, but in a verbal statement, he said he had lifted off at 40 knots. Also, a witness said the gear started retracting just after lift-off. According to the pilot's handbook, the max performance climb speed was 72 knots and the gear should have been retracted after obstacles had been cleared.
PILOT STATED THAT WHILE DEPARTING FROM A SMALL 2000 FOOT LONG PRIVATE STRIP THE ENGINE APPEARED TO LOOSE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT CLIMB AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE AT THE DEPARTURE ENS OF THE RWY. THE ACFT THEN COLLIDED WITH SEVERAL OTHER TREES PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH THE GRND. POST CRASH RUNNING OF THE ENG REVEALED NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE ANYPRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. WITNESSES STATED THAT AFTER LIFT-OFF THE ACFT APPEARED TO LEVEL OFF AT 10 TO15 FT AGL AND FLEW STRAIGHT AHEAD COLLIDING WITH THE TREES. THERE WAS NO ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE TREES WHICH HAD CLEAR AREAS ON BOTH SIDES. IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PLT REPORTED LIFTING OFF AT 80 KTS, BUT IN A VERBAL STATEMENT, HE SAID HE HAD LIFTED OFF AT 40 KTS. ALSO, A WITNESS SAID THE GEAR STARTED RETRACTING JUST AFTER LIFT-OFF. ACCORDING TO THE PLT'S HANDBOOK, THE MAX PERFORMANCE CLIMB SPEED WAS 72 KTS & THE GEAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN RETRACTED AFTER OBSTACLES HAD BEEN CLEARED.