Fatal NTSB investigations
17 cases where the sequence of events included External load event (Rotorcraft).
Cases per year
| 2009 | 2 |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2020 | 3 |
Where
Open the mapLatest cases
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "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.\"highestInjuryLevel\" = 'Fatal'
AND c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.\"tier2Number\" = '480' 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"Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.
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."highestInjuryLevel" = 'Fatal' AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '480' 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
Run it at the DuckDB prompt, or in any tool that reads Parquet over HTTPS. More ways to query the release are on Use the data.
NTSB CEN21LA102Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportHughes 369D · Tuckers Crossing, MSThe pilot’s loss of helicopter control when the external saw contacted trees during an attempted emergency landing due to a main rotor transmission oil pressure warning. The reason that the pilot did not release the external saw from the helicopter during the…NTSB WPR20LA244Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportAmerican Eurocopter AS350 · Pioche, NVThe 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 WPR20LA163Accident · 3 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportBell 206 · Fairfield, CAThe pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from powerlines while conducting external load operations, which resulted in the main rotor contacting a wire and a subsequent collision with terrain.NTSB CEN19FA020Accident · 1 fatalClass 2 · FieldFinal reportHughes 369 · McDougal, ARThe pilot's failure to maintain the helicopter's clearance from the powerline structure while hovering in gusty wind conditions, which resulted in an inadvertent collision with the structure and an uncontrolled descent into terrain.NTSB ERA18FA122Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportMD Helicopter 600 · Smethport, PAThe 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 subsequent dynamic rollover and collision with terrain.…NTSB CEN18LA026Accident · 2 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 369D · Sulphur, LAThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate separation between a long line being used to hoist linemen from a shield wire during an external load flight, which resulted in the long line being severed.NTSB CEN17FA127Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportMcdonnell Douglas Heli 369FF · Chalmers, INThe pilot's failure to ensure that the needle did not entangle with the tower's vertical lattice as he moved the helicopter rearward, which resulted in the helicopter becoming tethered to the tower and a subsequent loss of control.NTSB ERA16LA253Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportBell 429 · Georgetown, DEThe emergency response team's failure to ensure that the system operator was secured to the helicopter, which resulted in his fall during the recurrent rescue hoist training operation.NTSB CEN15FA210Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportEurocopter Deutschland MBB BK 117 C-2 · Austin, TXThe helicopter rescue specialist was not properly attached to the hoist system, which resulted in a fall during a night hoist operation.NTSB ANC14FA030Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportRobinson Helicopter R44 II · Chugiak, AKThe pilot's loss of control of the helicopter due to impairment or incapacitation from a sudden, acute cardiac event.NTSB CEN13LA461Accident · 2 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 369D · Ackerly, TXThe pilot’s failure to identify and maintain adequate clearance from a shield wire that was suspended between power transmission line towers.NTSB WPR13GA338Accident · 1 fatalFinal reportBell HH-1H · Mount Charleston, NVThe premature hoisting operation and the inadvertent disengagement of the hoist hook on the rescuer’s harness in dark night conditions. Contributing to the accident was a lack of direct audio communication between the rescuer and the hoist operator.NTSB CEN13FA075Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportHughes 369 · Childress, TXThe improper maintenance of the helicopter fuel system that resulted in erroneous fuel gauge indications and the pilot’s inadequate fuel management, both of which resulted in fuel exhaustion during a long-line hover. Also causal was the lack of company…NTSB WPR11WA421Accident · 1 fatalForeign investigationHughes 369D · South Malekula, Vanuatu, VanuatuOn August 28, 2011, at 1500 universal coordinated time, a Hughes 369D, Vanuatu registration YJ-HEL, collided with the ground after the attached long-line became entangled in the rotor system near Malekula, Vanuatu. The helicopter was operated by Vanuatu…NTSB ERA11FA042Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportMD Helicopters 369E · Thomas, WVThe pilot's failure to clear the helicopter and its external load from surrounding structures and his failure to execute a timely release of the external load, which resulted in an inadvertent entanglement and collision with wires and terrain. Contributing to…NTSB WPR10FA012Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportMcdonnell Douglas Heli 369FF · Fossil, ORThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a power pole to which he was connecting wire-pulling ropes.NTSB CEN09WA612Accident · 2 fatalForeign investigationEurocopter AS350 · Barcelona, SpainOn June 22, 2009 a Eurocopter AS350B3, Spanish registration EC-IOJ was destroyed while filling the fire attack system with water during a fire extinguishing operation. The pilot and passenger both were killed. According to several witness statements, the…