# Agricultural/external load sys - Type: NTSB finding subsection - Path: [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01) › [Aircraft systems](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0102) › [Equipment/furnishings](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010225) › Agricultural/external load sys - NTSB code: 01022551 - Cases: 14 - In the probable cause: 11 - Fatal cases: 6 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022551/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022551/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022551 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2009: 1 / 1 - 2011: 1 / 1 - 2012: 1 / 1 - 2013: 1 / 2 - 2015: 1 / 1 - 2016: 2 / 2 - 2017: 1 / 2 - 2020: 0 / 1 - 2022: 1 / 1 - 2024: 2 / 2 ## Defining events in these cases - [External load event (Rotorcraft)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/480): 5 cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 3 cases - [Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330): 2 cases - [Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342): 1 cases - [Abrupt maneuver](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270): 1 cases - [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 1 cases - [Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220): 1 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Sikorsky S-61A](https://openairdocs.org/model/sikorsky-s-61a): 1 cases - [Sikorsky S-58ET](https://openairdocs.org/model/sikorsky-s-58et): 1 cases - [Piper PA-12](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12): 1 cases - [Grumman American Avn. G-164B](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-g-164b): 1 cases - [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164b): 1 cases - [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164a): 1 cases - [Mcdonnell Douglas Heli 369FF](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-heli-369ff): 1 cases - [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 429](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-canada-429): 1 cases - [Bell 206-L4](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206-l4): 1 cases - [Bell 206L-3](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206l-3): 1 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 5 cases - [Incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015) (Personnel issues): 3 cases - [Monitoring equip/instruments](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021525) (Personnel issues): 2 cases - [Lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023) (Aircraft): 2 cases - [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 2 cases - [Not determined, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000) (Not determined): 1 cases - [Equipment design](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04011010) (Organizational issues): 1 cases - [Dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020) (Environmental issues): 1 cases - [Ground equipment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022050) (Environmental issues): 1 cases - [Fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047) (Environmental issues): 1 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB CEN24LA259](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA259), Jul 8, 2024: Bell 206L-3 (N206WX), Thorntown, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to ensure that the load hose was disconnected from the helicopter before takeoff, which resulted in a loss of control after liftoff and a hard landing. - [NTSB CEN24LA318](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA318), Jun 20, 2024: Ayres S2R (N4004K), Stanwood, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain terrain clearance during a low-level aerial application flight, which resulted in impact with terrain and a subsequent forced landing. Contributing to the accident was… - [NTSB CEN22FA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA215), May 28, 2022: Grumman American Avn. G-164 (N178LB), Whiskerville, AR, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot misjudged the approach during the emergency landing, likely due to the full chemical load, and impacted a ditch, resulting in substantial damage and postimpact fire. Contributing to the… - [NTSB CEN20LA278](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA278), Jul 10, 2020: Grumman G164 (N6917K), Springfield, CO, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of visibility in the cockpit due to foam created by the chemicals loaded in the hopper, which resulted in collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the combining of… - [NTSB ANC17LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC17LA033), Jun 17, 2017: Piper PA 12 (N4018H), Skwentna, AK, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to properly secure the external load, which resulted in the load shifting during flight, interference with the water rudder cable, and a subsequent loss of control - [NTSB CEN17FA127](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17FA127), Mar 14, 2017: Mcdonnell Douglas Heli 369FF (N530KD), Chalmers, IN, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The 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… - [NTSB ERA16LA253](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA253), Jul 11, 2016: Bell 429 (N1SP), Georgetown, DE, no damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The 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 GAA16CA179](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA179), Apr 6, 2016: Bell 206 (N73AW), Supai, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to fly a normal approach and forgetting that the long line remained attached to the helicopter, which resulted in the line snagging on a ridgeline, a loss of lateral control, and… - [NTSB WPR15LA248](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA248), Aug 20, 2015: Sikorsky S 61A (N1043T), Ironside, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of power to the No. 2 engine due to the failure of the accessory gearbox drivetrain. Also causal was the pilot’s inability to release the external longline due to the use of a safety wire… - [NTSB WPR14CA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14CA041), Nov 2, 2013: Bell 206B (N888DR), Superior, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering during a long-line operation. 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.