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.
Long Beach, CA
The helicopter was being used for dual flight instruction of several students. The instructor pilot (IP) stated that he held the controls while his second student exited and the third student got in and adjusted his seat and pedals. After performing the before takeoff checks, the student pilot began to bring the helicopter to a hover. As the student began to hover, the IP looked to the left in the direction that they intended to hover. He stated that before he completed the clearing glance, he felt the helicopter pitch forward and to the right. Subsequently, the forward part of the right skid hit the ground and the helicopter went out of control. The IP stated that he took control and felt extreme right/forward pressure on the cyclic, the right pedal felt stuck, and the collective had an extreme downward pressure. During the investigation, the 3 main hydraulic servos and tail rotor servo were found operational. No evidence of a preimpact structural failure was found.
THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED FOR DUAL FLIGHT INSTRUCTION OF SEVERAL STUDENTS. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (IP) STATED THAT HE HELD THE CONTROLS WHILE HIS SECOND STUDENT EXITED AND THE THIRD STUDENT GOT IN AND ADJUSTED HIS SEAT AND PEDALS. AFTER PERFORMING THE BEFORE TAKEOFF CHECKS, THE STUDENT PILOT BEGAN TO BRING THE HELICOPTER TO A HOVER. AS THE STUDENT BEGAN TO HOVER, THE IP LOOKED TO THE LEFT IN THE DIRECTION THAT THEY INTENDED TO HOVER. HE STATED THAT BEFORE HE COMPLETED THE CLEARING GLANCE, HE FELT THE HELICOPTER PITCH FORWARD AND TO THE RIGHT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE FORWARD PART OF THE RIGHT SKID HIT THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER WENT OUT OF CONTROL. THE IP STATED THAT HE TOOK CONTROL AND FELT EXTREME RIGHT/FORWARD PRESSURE ON THE CYCLIC, THE RIGHT PEDAL FELT STUCK, AND THE COLLECTIVE HAD AN EXTREME DOWNWARD PRESSURE. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE 3 MAIN HYDRAULIC SERVOS AND TAIL ROTOR SERVO WERE FOUND OPERTIONAL. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT STRUCTURAL FAILURE WAS FOUND.