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.
Spanaway, WA
The pilot reported that while climbing through about 75 to 100 ft AGL, the engine lost power. He maneuvered the aircraft straight ahead to land beyond a highway. There were transmission lines on both sides of the roadway. The pilot believed he had insufficient airspeed and altitude to safely fly over the lines. Reportedly, the tail contacted a cable while crossing under the first set of wires (a telephone line). The right wing contacted the ground, the aircraft cartwheeled across the highway, then it came to rest in a ditch on the opposite side of the roadway. As the occupants exited the aircraft, a small fire developed in the vicinity of the engine. Within a short time the aircraft was destroyed by fire. An investigation revealed the fuel selector was positioned to both tanks. Water was found in the right tank and in a line leading from the right tank. Rust was found on the inside tangs of the right fuel cap, in the threads of the right quick drain and the carburetor. No other preimpact problems were evident.
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH ABOUT 75 TO 100 FT AGL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT STRAIGHT AHEAD TO LAND BEYOND A HIGHWAY. THERE WERE TRANSMISSION LINES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROADWAY. THE PILOT BELIEVED HE HAD INSUFFICIENT AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE TO SAFELY FLY OVER THE LINES. REPORTEDLY, THE TAIL CONTACTED A CABLE WHILE CROSSING UNDER THE FIRST SET OF WIRES (A TELEPHONE LINE). THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT CARTWHEELED ACROSS THE HIGHWAY, THEN IT CAME TO REST IN A DITCH ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY. AS THE OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT, A SMALL FIRE DEVELOPED IN THE VICINITY OF THE ENGINE. WITHIN A SHORT TIME THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO BOTH TANKS.WATER WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT TANK AND IN A LINE LEADING FROM THE RIGHT TANK. RUST WAS FOUND ON THE INSIDE TANGS OF THE RIGHT FUEL CAP, IN THE THREADS OF THE RIGHT QUICK DRAIN AND THE CARBURETOR. NO OTHER PREIMPACT PROBLEMS WERE EVIDENT.