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.
Port Aransas, TX
The pilot reported that he was returning to land after dropping a load of skydivers at 10,000 ft above mean sea level, and that he did not apply carburetor heat during the descent. He reduced the throttle to idle when he entered an extended base leg of the traffic pattern. The approach path was low, so the pilot increased the throttle, but the engine did not respond. He completed steps to troubleshoot the loss of power, but he did not apply the carburetor heat. The pilot made a forced landing to a marshy area; the airplane impacted uneven terrain and sustained substantial damage to the left wing. Examination of the fuel system did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the development of serious carburetor icing at glide power. Given the evidence, it is likely that carburetor ice accumulated, which resulted in the inability to increase engine power during the final approach. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the airplane’s engine is highly susceptible to ice formation during a descent and the use of carburetor heat is recommended.
Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Temp/humidity/pressure-Conducive to carburetor icing-Effect on equipment
The pilot reported that he was returning to land after dropping a load of skydivers at 10,000 ft above mean sea level, and that he did not apply carburetor heat during the descent. He reduced the throttle to idle when he entered an extended based leg of the traffic pattern. The approach path was low, so the pilot increased the throttle, but the engine did not respond. He completed steps to troubleshoot the loss of power, but he did not apply the carburetor heat. The pilot made a forced landing to a marshy area; the airplane impacted uneven terrain and sustained substantial damage to the left wing. Examination of the fuel system did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the development of serious carburetor icing at glide power. Given the evidence, it is likely that carburetor ice accumulated, which resulted in the inability to increase engine power during the final approach. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the airplane’s engine is highly susceptible to ice formation during a descent and the use of carburetor heat is recommended.