# NTSB investigations, MT: 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 WPR26FA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA031.md): Robinson Helicopter R66 · Ekalaka, MT · Accident · 4 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report · Oct 23, 2025 · N67GA · Substantial damage
  > On October 22, 2025, about 1830 mountain daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter Co. R66, N67GA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Ekalaka, Montana. The pilot and 3 passengers were fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as…
- [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 WPR23LA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA001.md): Scoda Aeronautica Ltda Super Petrel LS · Perma, MT · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Oct 2, 2022 · N892SP · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the powerline.
- [NTSB WPR19FA246](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19FA246.md): Beech 33 · St. Ignatius, MT · Accident · 3 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Aug 29, 2019 · N9529Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to maneuver the airplane at a low altitude, which resulted in impact with power lines and terrain.
- [NTSB GAA19CA238](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA238.md): Aerospatiale AS350 · Sula, MT · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 30, 2019 · N350DL · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from ground equipment, which resulted in a tail rotor blade impact.
- [NTSB WPR19LA055](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA055.md): Cessna 180 · Townsend, MT · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jan 2, 2019 · N4934A · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines while maneuvering at low level, which resulted in a wire strike and subsequent impact with terrain.
- [NTSB WPR18LA076](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18LA076.md): Buckeye Industries Dream Machine 582 · Chester, MT · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jan 19, 2018 · N92048 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from powerlines.
- [NTSB GAA16CA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA080.md): Aviat A1 · Broadus, MT · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Dec 13, 2015 · N29712 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the wires while flying at a low altitude resulting in a wire strike, a loss of airplane control, and the consequent impact with terrain.
- [NTSB WPR15CA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15CA128.md): Enstrom F28 - C · Shelby, MT · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 14, 2015 · N5688N · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain main rotor RPM during a low altitude operation, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and collision with terrain.
- [NTSB WPR13LA069](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA069.md): Powerchute Airwolf 912ULS · Dell, MT · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 14, 2012 · N480QP · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and clearance from mountainous terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude in downdraft conditions.
- [NTSB WPR12CA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12CA025.md): Cessna 172K · Florence, MT · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 30, 2011 · N7276G · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a power line during a low-level flight along a river. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to fly at a low altitude.
- [NTSB WPR09FA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA154.md): Cessna 180F · Townsend, MT · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 17, 2009 · N2698Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees and terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude.

## 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."eventStateOrRegion" = 'MT' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT e.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e WHERE 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?state=MT

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