# NTSB investigations: Pratt & Whitney R-985 series: Low altitude operation/event

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB ANC25LA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA085.md): Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1 · Soldotna, AK · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Aug 9, 2025 · N232KT · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from rising terrain while maneuvering at low altitude.
- [NTSB CEN25LA286](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA286.md): Weatherly 620B · Rushmore, MN · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 23, 2025 · N2032J · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a tree during low-level maneuvering.
- [NTSB CEN25LA231](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA231.md): Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B · Lockport, LA · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jul 1, 2025 · N8834H · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate planning for the high density altitude conditions which resulted in reduced airplane performance, climb capability, and subsequent forced landing.
- [NTSB WPR25LA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA165.md): Weatherly 620B · Lewiston, MT · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · May 30, 2025 · N90393 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude.
- [NTSB CEN24LA257](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA257.md): Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B · Sedgwick, AR · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 8, 2024 · N6500K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a power line during the spray pass.
- [NTSB WPR23LA120](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA120.md): Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B · Vernalis, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Mar 3, 2023 · N48492 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a power line during a low-level aerial application flight.
- [NTSB GAA20CA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20CA033.md): Weatherly 620 · Fabens, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 17, 2019 · N9033T · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power wires while maneuvering at a low altitude.
- [NTSB ERA19LA263](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA263.md): Weatherly 620 · Russellville, AL · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 2, 2019 · N90104 · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to see and avoid powerlines during low-altitude agricultural spraying flight operations.
- [NTSB WPR16FA169](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA169.md): Boeing A75N1(PT17) · Madras, OR · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 27, 2016 · N999PP · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the runway during a low-level aerobatic maneuver. Contributing to the accident was a high density altitude and the pilot's failure to plan/adequately compensate for high density altitude conditions.
- [NTSB WPR14FA182](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14FA182.md): Boeing E75 · Fairfield, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 4, 2014 · N68828 · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the runway during a low-level aerobatic maneuver due to his impairment by an over-the-counter antihistamine. Contributing to the severity of the pilot's injuries were the pilot's lack of fire protective clothing,…
- [NTSB ERA14LA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA011.md): Boeing B75N1 · Tampa, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 19, 2013 · N65355 · No damage
  > The parachutist’s low altitude departure from the right wing before the planned altitude and his delayed opening of his parachute canopy, which resulted in impact with a tree and then the ground before the parachute fully opened.
- [NTSB CEN13LA322](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA322.md): Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B · Covington, OK · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 6, 2013 · N6754Q · Substantial damage
  > The airplane’s failure to climb after takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examinations of the engine and airframe did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
- [NTSB CEN11CA565](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA565.md): Weatherly 201C · Bronson, IA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 10, 2011 · N9054W · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering during an aerial application flight.
- [NTSB CEN11FA444](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11FA444.md): Boeing B75N1 · Wetmore, CO · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 3, 2011 · N4473N · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering at low altitude.
- [NTSB ERA11CA260](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA260.md): Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A · Belhaven, NC · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 23, 2011 · N8896H · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance above crops while performing an aerial application flight.
- [NTSB WPR10CA289](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10CA289.md): Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B · Courtland, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 13, 2010 · N6726Q · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain during low-altitude maneuvers.
- [NTSB CEN10TA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10TA006.md): Beech E18S · Jones Creek, TX · Accident · No injuries · Final report · Oct 3, 2009 · N797SB · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to see and avoid the radio tower.
- [NTSB LAX08CA223](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08CA223.md): Grumman Acft Eng G-164B · Patterson, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 10, 2008 · N6792Q · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from obstacles while maneuvering.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.engine_model_code IN ('52008')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e WHERE e.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND e.aircrafts_position = x.position AND e."isDefiningEvent" AND e."tier2Number" = '220'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/cases?engine=52008

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