# 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 WPR26LA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA146.md): Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 · Chimney Rock, MT · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Apr 4, 2026 · N5017G · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from the terrain while performing a low altitude circling takeoff maneuver, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
- [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 WPR24FA150](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA150.md): Piper PA-18-150 · Thurlow, MT · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · May 14, 2024 · UNREG · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering at low altitude, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction by his cell phone use while…
- [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 WPR18FA260](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA260.md): Robert L Coons RotorWay RW 1 · Billings, MT · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 12, 2018 · N166LC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with a hangar while maneuvering to his hangar. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's limited experience in helicopters.
- [NTSB GAA18CA533](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA533.md): Taylorcraft BC12 · Cut Bank, MT · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 5, 2018 · N95514 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to see and avoid power wires while maneuvering at low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inability to determine the airplane’s altitude due to sun glare.
- [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 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=MT

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