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.
Lyons, NE
The airline transport pilot of the agricultural aerial application flight stated that as the helicopter entered the field to be sprayed, the low rotor rpm annunciation sounded. He attempted to recover rotor rpm, but the rpm continued to decay rapidly. He then used the remaining rotor rpm to cushion a landing onto the field. As the helicopter touched down, it slid about 150-200 ft before the skid dug into soft dirt and the helicopter rolled over. Post-accident examination of the engine by the operator revealed that the no. 6 cylinder had more leakage/lower compression than the previous 100-hour recorded compression checks. Reduced compression on one or more cylinders would have reduced excess power available to maintain a rotor RPM and altitude.
The engine's low cylinder compression, which resulted in low rotor rpm and a subsequent dynamic rollover following landing on soft terrain.
On August 3, 2019, at 1615 central daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II helicopter, N440EM, experienced a loss of engine power during an aerial application of a field near Lyons, Nebraska. The helicopter impacted the ground during an attempted recovery by the pilot. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The airline transport pilot received minor injuries. The helicopter was registered to an individual and operated by Wallin Agricultural Aviation under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an agricultural flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from an unknown location and an unknown time. The pilot stated that he entered a field to be sprayed and about 100-120 ft agl, the low rotor rpm annunciation sounded. As he attempted to recover rotor rpm, the rpm continued to decay rapidly. He then used the remaining rotor rpm to cushion a landing onto the field. As the helicopter touched down, it slid about 150-200 ft before the skid dug into soft dirt and the helicopter rolled over. Post-accident examination of the engine by the operator revealed that the no. 6 cylinder had more leakage/lower compression than the previous 100-hour recorded compression checks. At the previous recorded compression check, the no. 6 cylinder had a 8.75% of leakage (73 psi held from a reference of 80 psi). The no. 6 cylinder had 35% leakage (52 psi held from a reference of 80 psi) during the examination. No further examination of the cylinder was performed.