# NTSB investigations, AZ: 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 WPR26LA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA123.md): Brunner Donald G Kitfox · Rock Crossing, AZ · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Mar 10, 2026 · N104DG · Substantial damage > An encounter with a downdraft while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in an impact with terrain. - [NTSB WPR23FA223](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23FA223.md): Compagnie Daher TB 30 Epsilon · Apache Junction, AZ · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jun 10, 2023 · N759F · Destroyed > The pilot’s controlled flight into the mountainous terrain due to diminished depth perception as a result of the shadowing effect from the sun’s position. Contributing to the accident was the decision by all three pilots to fly low altitude around the… - [NTSB WPR19TA061](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19TA061.md): Bell 206 · Yuma, AZ · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Final report · Jan 12, 2019 · N88HC · Substantial damage > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power transmission wires while flying at low altitude in nighttime conditions. - [NTSB WPR17LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA068.md): Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta · Holbrook, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 18, 2017 · N7095A · Substantial damage > The pilot’s failure to compensate for a loss of effective translational lift while turning from an upwind to a downwind condition at a low altitude and low airspeed, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control. - [NTSB WPR16FA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA040.md): Airbus Helicopters AS350 · Superior, AZ · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 16, 2015 · N74317 · Substantial damage > The pilot's loss of helicopter control in mountainous terrain as the result of operating the helicopter outside the performance envelope of its hydraulic system and encountering the servo transparency phenomenon. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's… - [NTSB GAA15CA204](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA204.md): Airbus AS350-B2 · Tucson, AZ · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 29, 2015 · N6095U · Substantial damage > The flight instructor's misperception of the helicopter's altitude in relation to the runway surface during a low altitude maneuver, resulting in ground impact. - [NTSB WPR14CA216](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14CA216.md): Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta · San Manuel, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 31, 2014 · N7122E · Substantial damage > The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate obstacle clearance altitude from phone wires while performing low-level operations. - [NTSB WPR14LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14LA005.md): Cessna 340A · Paulden, AZ · Accident · 4 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 4, 2013 · N312GC · Substantial damage > The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear a radio tower while maneuvering at low altitude and his decision to make a high-speed, low pass over the gun club. - [NTSB WPR13FA244](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA244.md): Raytheon A36 · Mountainaire, AZ · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 28, 2013 · N999PK · Destroyed > The pilot's inability to maintain a climb after departure in high-density altitude conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's decision not to track the four-lane highway just beyond the… - [NTSB WPR12FA420](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA420.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Strawberry, AZ · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 13, 2012 · N4188E · Substantial damage > The flight instructor's and the evaluator's failure to divert at an appropriate time during cruise flight, which resulted in the airplane's inability to maintain a sufficient altitude to clear rising terrain. Contributing to the accident was the flight… - [NTSB WPR12CA342](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12CA342.md): Piper PA18 · McNeal, AZ · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 2, 2012 · N2364P · Substantial damage > The pilot's in-flight decision to fly at low level into an unfamiliar canyon, which resulted in an off-airport landing when the airplane's climb capability was exceeded. Contributing to the accident was the airplane’s decreased performance due to the high… - [NTSB WPR12FA282](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA282.md): Aerospatiale AS350B · Camp Verde, AZ · Accident · 4 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 30, 2012 · N729DP · Substantial damage > The pilot's improper decision to fly at a low altitude through a river canyon, contrary to voluntary guidance within the Special Conservation Area, which led to collision with a cable. Contributing to the pilot’s decision were his cognitive and psychomotor… - [NTSB WPR10CA439](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10CA439.md): Ayres S2R-G10 · Ligurta, AZ · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 31, 2010 · N6125X · Substantial damage > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from rising terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to orient the application tracks so that they did not provide the maximum possible clearance from the rising terrain, and, the predawn… - [NTSB WPR10FA228](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10FA228.md): Cessna U206G · Yuma, AZ · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 6, 2010 · N756WN · Substantial damage > The pilot's loss of situational awareness and failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering at low altitude. Contributing to the accident was glare from the rising sun. - [NTSB WPR09FA284](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA284.md): Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta · Morristown, AZ · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 11, 2009 · N149SH · Substantial damage > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power line. - [NTSB WPR09CA224](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA224.md): Robinson R44 · Cottonwood, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 3, 2009 · N441CB · Substantial damage > The pilot's inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain clearance from wires. - [NTSB LAX08FA267](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08FA267.md): Cessna TR182 · Sahuarita, AZ · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 14, 2008 · N4887R · Destroyed > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from mountainous terrain while maneuvering at low altitude for undetermined reasons. - [NTSB LAX08CA126](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08CA126.md): Robinson R22 Beta II · Prescott, AZ · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 2, 2008 · N331MD · Substantial damage > The instructor's inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action that resulted in ground contact and a rollover. ## 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" = 'AZ' 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=AZ --- 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.