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.
Sedona, AZ
The pilot lost control of the airplane on landing after encountering a right quartering tailwind, resulting in the left wing contacting the ground. Winds were from 160 degrees at 5-6 knots. The pilot said that after crossing the threshold of runway 3, a "burst" of wind hit the airplane's right side, lifting the right wing. The pilot added power in an attempt to stabilize the airplane, but the wind pushed the airplane "strongly to the left" and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane spun to the left, the propeller hit the ground, and the airplane skidded across the infield before coming to rest inverted. The pilot indicated that the normal procedures at the airport were to land on runway 3, which sloped uphill, and takeoff on runway 21, which sloped downhill, when the winds were less than 10 knots. Review of available airport information revealed no published special procedures for takeoff and landing due to the slope of the runway.
the pilot's inadequate compensation for a right, quartering tailwind during landing resulting in a loss of aircraft control and dragging a wing during the landing flare.
On July 13, 2002, about 1130 mountain standard time, an amateur-built, experimental McConnell Lancair 320 airplane, N320DM, contacted the runway with the left wing prior to landing and came to rest inverted in a drainage culvert at the Sedona Airport (SEZ), Sedona, Arizona. The airplane, operated by the owner/pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight that departed the McClellan-Palomar Airport (CRQ), Carlsbad, California, at 0940. The flight was scheduled to terminate at SEZ. In a written statement, the pilot stated that he received a weather briefing before departure for the route of flight, which reported light and variable winds at the destination. The pilot then departed and experienced a uneventful flight except for a "few bumps." About 12 miles from Sedona, the pilot listened to the automated weather observation system (AWOS) frequency, which reported the winds from 160 degrees at 5-6 knots. The pilot then made his initial call to SEZ traffic stating his intention to enter the traffic pattern for runway 3. The pilot added that the normal procedure at SEZ was to land on runway 3 due to its upward slope, and takeoff downhill on runway 21 unless the winds are greater than 10 knots. The pilot became established on final approach. As the airplane crossed the threshold, the descent was normal, the pilot noted the airspeed was gradually bleeding off, and he was waiting for the wheels to touch down. He said that suddenly a "burst of wind hit from the right side," "lifting the right wing." The pilot added power and attempted to stabilize the airplane; however, the wind pushed the airplane "strongly to the left" and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane spun to the left, the propeller hit the ground, and the airplane skidded across the infield stopping inverted just short of the inner taxiway. The private pilot accumulated a total of 813 hours of flight time, of which 161 hours were obtained in the accident airplane. A review of the Airport/Facility Directory and AirNav's Airport website, revealed no procedures for landing and takeoff due to the runway slope. The runway is 5,132 feet long, and the threshold elevation of runway 3 and 21 are 4,735.8 feet and 4,829.5 feet mean sea level (msl), respectively.