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.
Willow, AK
The private pilot was conducting the first test flight of the experimental amateur-built airplane under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The pilot said he elected to takeoff from a dirt road near his house. He reported that when he applied takeoff power the airplane climbed steeply, and he was unable to get the nose down. He said he reduced engine power, and mushed the airplane into the trees at the side of the road. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. An FAA aviation safety inspector who examined the airplane after the accident, said he did not discover any preaccident mechanical anomalies. In his report to the NTSB, the pilot wrote, in part: "I believe I did a departure stall by letting it fly too soon."
The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed to avoid an aerodynamic stall during takeoff/initial climb, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and collision with trees. A factor associated with the accident was an inadvertent stall.
On July 2, 2006, about 0645 Alaska daylight time, a Kennedy Chinook Plus 2 experimental amateur-built airplane, N9077M, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees, following a loss of control during takeoff-initial climb, about 6 miles east of Willow, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on July 13, the pilot stated he had just completed the amateur-built airplane, and elected to make the first test flight by taking off from a dirt roadway near his residence. He reported when he applied takeoff power the airplane climbed steeply, and he was unable to lower the nose. He said he reduced engine power, and the airplane settled into the trees alongside the roadway. He indicated the wings and fuselage received substantial damage during the landing. On July 18, the IIC spoke with an FAA aviation safety inspector who examined the airplane after the accident. The inspector said he did not discover any preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. In a written statement dated July 16, contained in the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot wrote that after takeoff he moved the stick forward to remain in ground effect, but could not get the tail to come up, and the airplane climbed steeply. He reported that his shoulder harness precluded him from being able to push the stick all the way forward. He noted that he reduced the throttle, and with full back stick, mushed the airplane into the trees at the side of the road. In the portion of the report titled: Recommendation (How Could This Accident Have Been Prevented), he wrote, in part: " I believe I did a departure stall by letting it fly too soon."