# Low altitude operation/event - Type: NTSB defining event - NTSB code: 220 - CICTT category: Low Altitude Operation/Event - Defining event in: 653 cases - In the sequence of: 780 cases - Fatal cases: 214 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/cases.md - Cases with it anywhere in the sequence: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220 ## Cases per year (defining / in the sequence) - 2008: 49 / 58 - 2009: 49 / 55 - 2010: 47 / 51 - 2011: 36 / 42 - 2012: 36 / 41 - 2013: 30 / 47 - 2014: 32 / 36 - 2015: 29 / 34 - 2016: 24 / 32 - 2017: 30 / 40 - 2018: 26 / 34 - 2019: 43 / 52 - 2020: 38 / 46 - 2021: 36 / 41 - 2022: 30 / 39 - 2023: 34 / 39 - 2024: 35 / 37 - 2025: 33 / 35 - 2026: 16 / 21 ## Phase of flight - Maneuvering-low-alt flying: 531 cases - Maneuvering: 35 cases - Maneuvering-hover: 22 cases - Maneuvering-aerobatics: 22 cases - Initial climb: 12 cases - Enroute-cruise: 11 cases - Enroute: 11 cases - Unknown: 4 cases - Enroute-climb to cruise: 4 cases - Enroute-change of cruise level: 1 cases ## In the probable cause of these cases - [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 317 cases - [Monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545) (Personnel issues): 248 cases - [Wire](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032) (Environmental issues): 183 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 119 cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 104 cases - [Identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510) (Personnel issues): 42 cases - [Incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015) (Personnel issues): 41 cases - [Tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020) (Environmental issues): 25 cases - [Task monitoring/vigilance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520) (Personnel issues): 22 cases - [Tower/antenna (incl guy wires)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022017) (Environmental issues): 19 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii): 38 cases - [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b): 29 cases - [Air Tractor AT-502B](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502b): 19 cases - [Robinson Helicopter R44](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44): 18 cases - [Air Tractor AT-602](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-602): 14 cases - [Air Tractor AT-802A](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-802a): 13 cases - [Air Tractor AT-502](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502): 13 cases - [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta): 11 cases - [Bell OH-58A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-oh-58a): 10 cases - [Piper PA-25-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25-235): 9 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB WPR26FA354](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA354), Sep 24, 2026: Cessna 172B (N44P), Royal City, WA, substantial damage, 1 fatal, investigation ongoing - [NTSB WPR26LA312](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA312), Aug 20, 2026: Schweizer G-164B (N7501Q), Olene, OR, destroyed, investigation ongoing - [NTSB CEN26LA286](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA286), Aug 1, 2026: Cessna T188C (N9998J), Randolph, NE, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a tree during a low-level aerial application flight. - [NTSB CEN26LA289](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA289), Jul 18, 2026: Robinson Helicopter R44 Raven 1 (N26EH), Scribner, NE, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines while maneuvering at low-level altitude during an agricultural operation. - [NTSB CEN26LA256](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA256), Jul 16, 2026: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N322TC), Coralville, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a power line during a low-level aerial application flight. - [NTSB CEN26LA252](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA252), Jul 13, 2026: Air Tractor AT802 (N808HB), Whiting, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from an antenna while maneuvering during a low-level aerial application flight. - [NTSB ANC26LA055](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA055), Jun 18, 2026: Piper PA-18 105 (N249T), Petersville, AK, substantial damage, investigation ongoing - [NTSB CEN26LA185](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA185), May 13, 2026: Bell 407 (N652AE), Dallas, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain situational awareness and clearance from the helipad surveillance camera during liftoff. - [NTSB WPR26LA180](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA180), May 10, 2026: Cessna 172 (N6643A), Marysvale, UT, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees while maneuvering in mountainous terrain prior to encountering a downdraft. - [NTSB ANC26LA037](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA037), May 6, 2026: Tundrair King (N62TK), Palmer, AK, destroyed, investigation ongoing NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted. Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1). NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.