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.
Backus, MN
The airplane sustained substantial damage during a loss of control while on short final for landing during an instructional flight. The instructor pilot reported that the airplane was on downwind and was about to turn to the base leg when he pulled the power and informed the dual student that he had an engine failure (simulated). The dual student turned toward the runway, but when the airplane had just cleared some trees and was about 50 to 60 feet above ground level (agl), the dual student released the yoke and told the instructor that it was "his airplane." The instructor pilot reported that he took control of the yoke and banked sharply toward the runway. He detected a high sink rate and "called for power but none was applied." The instructor pilot reported that the airplane stalled about 20 feet agl, and contacted the runway and a snow bank. In a written statement, the instructor pilot reported, "We should have had a more positive change of command. I was wondering when he was going to add power and apparently he thought that I was flying the plane."
The airplane stalled as a result of the low airspeed and the instructor pilot's failure to take remedial action.
The airplane sustained substantial damage during a loss of control while on short final for landing during an instructional flight. The instructor pilot reported that the airplane was on downwind and was about to turn to the base leg when he pulled the power and informed the dual student that he had an engine failure (simulated). The dual student turned toward the runway, but when the airplane had just cleared some trees and was about 50 to 60 feet above ground level (agl), the dual student released the yoke and told the instructor that it was "his airplane." The instructor pilot reported that he took control of the yoke and banked sharply toward the runway. He detected a high sink rate and "called for power but none was applied." The instructor pilot reported that the airplane stalled about 20 feet agl, and contacted the runway and a snow bank. In a written statement, the instructor pilot reported, "We should have had a more positive change of command. I was wondering when he was going to add power and apparently he thought that I was flying the plane."