# NTSB investigations, NC: 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 ERA23LA334](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA334.md): Scoda Aeronautica Ltda Super Petrel LS · Hickory, NC · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Aug 13, 2023 · N239WD · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from powerlines while maneuvering at a low altitude over water, which resulted in a collision and loss of control.
- [NTSB ERA22LA274](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA274.md): Cessna 172 · Brevard, NC · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jun 16, 2022 · N5064H · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain altitude while maneuvering the airplane at a low altitude, which resulted in impact with trees and terrain.
- [NTSB ERA21LA270](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA270.md): Robinson Helicopter R66 · Waxhaw, NC · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jun 27, 2021 · N7078V · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from powerlines during a low-level aerial application flight.
- [NTSB ERA21FA200](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21FA200.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 · Wingate, NC · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · May 2, 2021 · N4528T · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a power line during a low-level aerial application flight, resulting in tail rotor impact with the power line, a loss of control, and subsequent impact with the ground.
- [NTSB ERA20LA220](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA220.md): Robinson R66 · Pikeville, NC · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jun 18, 2020 · N4QW · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to see and avoid a small diameter wire during low altitude agricultural spraying operations. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s insufficient property survey.
- [NTSB ERA20FA012](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20FA012.md): Bell 206 · New Salem, NC · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Oct 17, 2019 · N167AG · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in impact with a powerline.
- [NTSB ERA16LA301](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA301.md): Means Rober C Rotorway Exec · Iron Station, NC · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 26, 2016 · N48KM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from the ground while hovering, which resulted in separation of the forward section of the right skid tube with counterweight attached, a sudden center of gravity (CG) shift outside the normal operating…
- [NTSB GAA16CA173](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA173.md): Beech F35 · Long Island, NC · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 30, 2016 · N4212B · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to maneuver at low altitude, which resulted in a collision with power lines and substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer.
- [NTSB ERA15LA358](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA358.md): Bellanca 7KCAB · Manteo, NC · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 14, 2015 · N86705 · Substantial damage
  > The inadvertent lodging of the banner-tow cable between the right elevator and horizontal stabilizer after the pilot threw the grapple hook out the window, which resulted in the loss of pitch control and the airplane’s subsequent impact with water.
- [NTSB ERA15FA335](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15FA335.md): Cooper Michael C RV 8A · Advance, NC · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 2, 2015 · N393MC · Destroyed
  > The pilots' failure to maintain airplane control during a low-altitude maneuver.
- [NTSB ERA13LA238](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA238.md): Steele Ralph Bruce Steen Skybolt · Windsor, NC · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 11, 2013 · N858RS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to initiate an aerobatic maneuver with insufficient altitude to recover before ground impact.
- [NTSB ERA12FA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12FA008.md): Aviat A-1 · Moyock, NC · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 5, 2011 · N11HU · Substantial damage
  > The operation of the airplane by a non-certificated pilot, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB ERA11CA260](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA260.md): Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A · Belhaven, NC · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 23, 2011 · N8896H · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance above crops while performing an aerial application flight.
- [NTSB ERA09LA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA139.md): Hughes OH-6A · Monroe, NC · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 22, 2009 · N4191A · Substantial damage
  > The pilot-rated-passenger’s failure to maintain clearance from a known wire hazard during low-level maneuvering. Contributing to the accident was the pilot-in-command’s inadequate monitoring of the flight.
- [NTSB MIA08FA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA08FA052.md): Kaylor J E/Strahlmann R L RV-4 · Elkin, NC · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 3, 2008 · N580RG · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to attempt an aerobatic maneuver in close proximity to the ground.

## 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" = 'NC' 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=NC

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