# NTSB investigations, AL: 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 ERA24LA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA114.md): Cessna 172M · Brookwood, AL · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Feb 16, 2024 · N9160H · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to see and avoid powerlines while maneuvering at low altitude.
- [NTSB ERA24LA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA060.md): Cessna 150 · Mount Vernon, AL · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Dec 8, 2023 · N5952T · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to operate the airplane at a low altitude over a river, and his failure to maintain clearance from the river while maneuvering.
- [NTSB ERA21LA269](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA269.md): Garlick Helicopters OH-58A+ · Alpine, AL · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jun 25, 2021 · N372NS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from powerlines during a low-level aerial application flight, resulting in main rotor blade impact with a fiber-optic cable, a loss of control, and the helicopter’s subsequent impact with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA20LA217](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA217.md): Air Tractor AT502 · Atmore, AL · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jun 16, 2020 · N879JA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, spin, and loss of control.
- [NTSB CEN20FA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20FA009.md): Vans RV-8 · White Plains, AL · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Oct 20, 2019 · N249BW · Destroyed
  > Impact with terrain for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
- [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 ERA19FA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19FA047.md): Bell OH 58C · Verbena, AL · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 2 · Field · Final report · Nov 16, 2018 · N510CP · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper decision to conduct a low-level flight over a river, and his failure to see and avoid power lines, which resulted in the helicopter's impact with power lines and the water.
- [NTSB ERA18FA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18FA208.md): Champion 8GCBC · Foley, AL · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 4, 2018 · N424A · Destroyed
  > The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in a subsequent aerodynamic stall and spin at an altitude that was too low for recovery.
- [NTSB ERA15CA055](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15CA055.md): Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter MD500 · Decatur, AL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Nov 18, 2014 · N8371F · Substantial damage
  > An undetermined pilot's failure to maintain clearance from an electrical transmission tower resulting in substantial damage to a main rotor blade. Postaccident investigation could not determine which of two pilots was flying the helicopter at the time the…
- [NTSB ERA13CA163](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA163.md): Air Tractor AT-301 · Greenbrier, AL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Feb 24, 2013 · N7310N · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from trees.
- [NTSB MIA08CA137](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA08CA137.md): Air Tractor AT-402B · Muscle Shoals, AL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 12, 2008 · N402BT · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from utility wires during low altitude maneuvers.

## 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" = 'AL' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '220' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent"))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence?state=AL

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