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.
Waukesha, WI
Before the positioning flight, the airline transport pilot monitored the weather and noticed the weather conditions were deteriorating near the time of the planned departure. The weather conditions included low visibility, freezing drizzle, and mist. In an effort to reduce the time in the deteriorating weather conditions, the pilot performed some before takeoff checks while the airplane was in the hangar. During the pilot's "haste" to preflight and take off, she inadvertently selected the wrong switch for windshield heat. While on the instrument approach to the runway in night conditions, the pilot had no forward visibility due to ice accumulation on the windshield. The pilot executed a missed approach and contacted an instructor pilot at the departure airport to confirm the location of the windshield heat switch. The pilot then activated the windshield heat switch and enough ice had melted for the pilot to conduct another approach. During the approach, the pilot increased the airspeed due to "carrying a lot of ice." On short final approach, the airplane descended below the glidepath due to the ice accumulation. Subsequently, the airplane contacted the terrain short of the runway and then "skipped" onto the runway. The airplane came to rest upright and off the runway surface. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot’s decision to fly in in conditions conducive to structural icing and her subsequent failure to maintain airplane control during the instrument approach.
Prior to the positioning flight, the pilot monitored the weather and noticed the weather conditions were deteriorating near the time of the planned departure. The weather conditions included low visibility, freezing drizzle, and mist. In an effort to reduce the time in the deteriorating weather conditions, the pilot performed some before takeoff checks while the airplane was in the hangar. During the pilot's "haste" to preflight and takeoff, she inadvertently selected the wrong switch for windshield heat. While on the instrument approach to the runway in night conditions, the pilot had no forward visibility due to ice accumulation on the windshield. The pilot executed a missed approach and contacted an instructor pilot at the departure airport to confirm the location of the windshield heat switch. The pilot then activated the windshield heat switch and enough ice had melted for the pilot to conduct another approach. During the approach, the pilot increased the airspeed due to "carrying a lot of ice." On short final approach, the airplane descended below the glide path due to the ice accumulation. Subsequently, the airplane contacted the terrain short of the runway, and "skipped" onto the runway. The airplane came to rest upright and off the runway surface. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.