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.
Vineyard Haven, MA
The pilot reported that, while conducting an instrument landing system (ILS) approach at night in instrument meteorological conditions and while correcting course on the ILS, she saw full right deflection, corrected to the left, and then observed full left deflection on the course direction indicator about the decision altitude. She added that she then heard and felt a loud "bang." The airplane turned left, she aborted the approach, executed a missed approach, and declared an emergency. She was then vectored to a nearby airport where she landed the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. An examination by the Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed pine needles in the damaged section of the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 220° at 5 knots, visibility 1/4 statute mile, runway visual range 1,800 ft, variable 2,200 ft, cloud condition fog, vertical visibility 200 ft, temperature 21°C (70°F), dew point 21°C (70°F), and altimeter setting 30.01 inches of mercury. The pilot was landing the airplane on runway 24.
The pilot's failure to maintain lateral position in relation to the instrument approach course at night in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in collision with a tree.
The pilot reported that, while conducting the instrument landing system (ILS) 24 approach at night in instrument meteorological conditions, while correcting course on the ILS, she saw full right deflection, corrected to the left, and then observed full left deflection on the course direction indicator (CDI) at about the decision altitude. She then heard and felt a loud "bang." The airplane turned left, she aborted the approach, executed the missed approach, and declared an emergency. She was then vectored to a nearby airport where she landed without further incident. An examination by the Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed pine needles in the damaged section of the airplane's left wing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 220° at 5 knots, visibility one-quarter statute miles, runway visual range 1,800 ft variable 2,200 ft, cloud condition fog, vertical visibility 200 ft, temperature 21°C (70°F), dew point 21°C (70°F), altimeter setting 30.01" Hg. The airplane was landing runway 24.