# External load event (Rotorcraft) - Type: NTSB defining event - NTSB code: 480 - CICTT category: External Load Event (Rotorcraft) - Defining event in: 31 cases - In the sequence of: 51 cases - Fatal cases: 9 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/480/cases.md - Cases with it anywhere in the sequence: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/480/sequence.md - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/480 ## Cases per year (defining / in the sequence) - 2008: 1 / 2 - 2009: 1 / 4 - 2010: 2 / 3 - 2011: 2 / 2 - 2012: 2 / 3 - 2013: 2 / 5 - 2014: 2 / 3 - 2015: 4 / 4 - 2016: 3 / 3 - 2017: 2 / 3 - 2018: 2 / 4 - 2019: 1 / 1 - 2020: 1 / 4 - 2021: 2 / 2 - 2023: 1 / 3 - 2024: 2 / 4 - 2025: 1 / 1 ## Phase of flight - Maneuvering-hover: 14 cases - Maneuvering-low-alt flying: 7 cases - Maneuvering: 4 cases - Landing: 2 cases - Initial climb: 2 cases - Autorotation: 1 cases - Enroute: 1 cases ## In the probable cause of these cases - [Incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015) (Personnel issues): 6 cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 5 cases - [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 5 cases - [Wire](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032) (Environmental issues): 4 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 4 cases - [Agricultural/external load sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022551) (Aircraft): 4 cases - [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 3 cases - [Object/animal/substance, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022000) (Environmental issues): 2 cases - [Use of policy/procedure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063032) (Personnel issues): 2 cases - [Performance calculations](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061010) (Personnel issues): 2 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-helicopters-hughes-369d): 5 cases - [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii): 3 cases - [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b): 2 cases - [American Eurocopter AS350B3](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-eurocopter-as350b3): 2 cases - [Eurocopter AS 350 B3](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b3): 1 cases - [Sikorsky S-61A](https://openairdocs.org/model/sikorsky-s-61a): 1 cases - [Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 600N](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-helicopter-600n): 1 cases - [Mcdonnell Douglas Heli 369FF](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-heli-369ff): 1 cases - [Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-helicopter-369e): 1 cases - [Croman SH-3H](https://openairdocs.org/model/croman-sh-3h): 1 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB GAA25WA147](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA25WA147), Feb 14, 2025: Bell 206 (HK5189), Copey - Cesar, Colombia, substantial damage - [NTSB WPR25LA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA034), Nov 7, 2024: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N4361R), Durkee, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate performance planning, which resulted in insufficient engine power to transition into an out-of-ground-effect hover at a high gross weight. - [NTSB ERA25LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA040), Nov 5, 2024: Hughes 369D (N11AS), Waycross, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: An encounter with a foreign object, which resulted in a loss of control and collision with terrain. - [NTSB ANC23LA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23LA085), Sep 16, 2023: Eurocopter AS 350 B3 (N297SH), Johnson River, AK, no damage. Probable cause: The ground crew’s failure to remain clear of a tag line during sling load operations, resulting in his entanglement. - [NTSB ANC21LA079](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA079), Aug 30, 2021: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N878CB), Pelican, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper preflight planning to ensure adequate power to hover out-of-ground effect while conducting external load operations. - [NTSB WPR21LA268](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA268), Jul 7, 2021: Bell 212HP (N911KW), Weed, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain altitude during an approach to a lake. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to release the full water bucket as the helicopter was settling, which… - [NTSB WPR20LA244](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA244), Jul 29, 2020: American Eurocopter AS350 (N755AE), Pioche, NV, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain altitude from terrain and subsequent loss of helicopter control due to entanglement of the external load cable with the tail rotor. - [NTSB GAA19WA598](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19WA598), Dec 12, 2019: Aerospatiale AS350 (OE-XHE), Kitzbühel, Austria, no damage - [NTSB ERA18FA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18FA122), Apr 8, 2018: MD Helicopter 600 (N602BP), Smethport, PA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The helicopter pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance during power line construction work, which resulted in the helicopter's main rotor striking and becoming entangled with a wire and a… - [NTSB ERA18LA091](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA091), Jan 11, 2018: Hughes 369 (N571HH), San Juan, PR, no damage. Probable cause: The helicopter pilot's improper decision to use an open-end grapple, instead of an A-frame attachment, to lift and move a ladder with a lineman on it and the lineman's improper decision to be lifted… NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted. Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1). NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names. --- 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.