NTSB investigations: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5

23 cases on aircraft whose registry engine model is Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, where the defining event was Low altitude operation/event. Aircraft are matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model, so older matches can be wrong.

Cases per year

20132026
NTSB investigations: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 per year, 2013–2026: 23 cases
20131
20172
20181
20193
20203
20213
20222
20233
20243
20251
20261

Latest cases

Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "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 ('41899')
      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"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

NTSB CEN26LA256Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Coralville, IAThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a power line during a low-level aerial application flight.Jul 16, 2026 · N322TC · Substantial damageNTSB ERA25LA240Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Hawesville, KYThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during low-level agricultural spray operations.Jun 25, 2025 · N144WK · Substantial damageNTSB ERA24LA393Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Ravenel, SCThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain, which resulted in the right skid contacting the ground and a subsequent rollover.Sep 23, 2024 · N153LA · Substantial damageNTSB CEN24LA252Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · New Florence, MOThe pilot’s failure to maintain proper altitude/clearance from a dead tree limb during an aerial application flight.Jul 4, 2024 · N225AM · Substantial damageNTSB ERA24LA171Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · South Kingstown, RIThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the water while maneuvering at low altitude.Apr 9, 2024 · N331EL · Substantial damageNTSB WPR24LA092Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Calexico, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines during an aerial application flight.Dec 6, 2023 · N422DX · Substantial damageNTSB CEN23LA341Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Arthur, ILThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees during a low-level aerial application flight.Jul 31, 2023 · N644ME · Substantial damageNTSB WPR23LA145Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Elko, NVThe pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude and airspeed in gusting tailwind conditions that resulted in an unrecoverable descent and impact with terrain.Apr 1, 2023 · N462BA · Substantial damageNTSB CEN22LA350Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Marshall, MOThe pilot’s failure to adequately survey a field for obstructions prior to a low-level aerial application pass, which resulted in an impact with a powerline.Jul 31, 2022 · N458SG · Substantial damageNTSB CEN22FA288Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Blackwell, TXThe pilot’s failure to maintain proper altitude and clearance during low-level aerial application, resulting in an in-flight collision with power lines.Jun 26, 2022 · N4124D · DestroyedNTSB CEN21LA349Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Randolph, WIThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during a low-level aerial application flight.Jul 31, 2021 · N285RG · Substantial damageNTSB CEN21LA339Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · West Liberty, IAThe pilot’s failure to see and avoid a wire while maneuvering at low altitude during an aerial application flight, resulting in a collision with the wire.Jul 20, 2021 · N983HA · Substantial damageNTSB CEN21FA330Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportRobinson R44 · Elgin, MNThe pilot’s decision to operate the helicopter under powerlines, which resulted in a main rotor blade striking a powerline, causing the helicopter to descend from a low altitude and impact terrain.Jul 19, 2021 · N44BJ · DestroyedNTSB CEN21LA077Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Marietta, TXThe pilot’s failure to see and avoid a transmission wire during takeoff.Dec 5, 2020 · N371MP · Substantial damageNTSB CEN20LA442Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Sterling City, TXThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during an aerial application flight.Mar 12, 2020 · N4386W · Substantial damageNTSB CEN20CA085Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportRobinson R44 · Marfa, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a fence during low-altitude maneuvering.Feb 14, 2020 · N441KA · Substantial damageNTSB GAA19CA473Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportRobinson R44 · Fessenden, NDThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from wires during an agricultural application flight.Jul 31, 2019 · N3066T · Substantial damageNTSB ERA19TA204Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3Final reportRobinson R44 · Parsons, WVThe pilot's decision to maneuver the helicopter at low altitude over a river, which resulted in a wire strike and subsequent collision with terrain.Jun 29, 2019 · N883TY · Substantial damageNTSB GAA19CA110Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportRobinson R44 · Grace, IDThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power lines.Jan 3, 2019 · N4246Z · Substantial damageNTSB GAA18CA453Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportRobinson R44 · Elma, IAThe pilot's failure maintain clearance from power lines during an agricultural application flight.Jul 27, 2018 · N466EL · Substantial damageNTSB ANC17LA040Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 · Solomon, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude above water, and his loss of situational awareness, which resulted in an inadvertent descent and collision with water.Aug 3, 2017 · N4138M · Substantial damageNTSB GAA17CA401Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 · Paoli, INThe pilot's decision to maneuver an overgross weight helicopter at a low altitude and airspeed with a gusting tailwind, which resulted in a high descent rate and collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's self-induced pressure to…Jul 7, 2017 · N3203D · Substantial damageNTSB CEN13FA517Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportRobinson R44 II · Caballo, NMThe pilot’s failure to see and avoid power lines while maneuvering near the ground because dust stirred up by the rotor wash obscured his visibility.Aug 31, 2013 · N3156U · Substantial damage