# NTSB investigations: Agricultural/external load sys 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 CEN24LA259](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA259.md): Bell 206L-3 · Thorntown, IN · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 8, 2024 · N206WX · Substantial damage > 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.md): Ayres S2R · Stanwood, MI · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jun 20, 2024 · N4004K · Substantial damage > 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 the location of the spray boom pressure gauge, which… - [NTSB CEN22FA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA215.md): Grumman American Avn. G-164 · Whiskerville, AR · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · May 28, 2022 · N178LB · Destroyed > 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 pilot’s injuries was the lack of a crash-resistant fuel system… - [NTSB CEN20LA278](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA278.md): Grumman G164 · Springfield, CO · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jul 10, 2020 · N6917K · Destroyed > 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 chemicals known to produce foam and the pilot’s failure to… - [NTSB ANC17LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC17LA033.md): Piper PA 12 · Skwentna, AK · Accident · No injuries · Class 2 · Limited · Final report · Jun 17, 2017 · N4018H · Destroyed > 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.md): Mcdonnell Douglas Heli 369FF · Chalmers, IN · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 14, 2017 · N530KD · Destroyed > 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 and a subsequent loss of control. - [NTSB ERA16LA253](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA253.md): Bell 429 · Georgetown, DE · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 11, 2016 · N1SP · No damage > 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.md): Bell 206 · Supai, AZ · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 6, 2016 · N73AW · Substantial damage > 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 a rollover. - [NTSB WPR15LA248](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA248.md): Sikorsky S 61A · Ironside, OR · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 20, 2015 · N1043T · Substantial damage > 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 across the coupling of the quick-disconnect mechanism, which… - [NTSB WPR14CA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14CA041.md): Bell 206B · Superior, MT · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Nov 2, 2013 · N888DR · Substantial damage > The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering during a long-line operation. - [NTSB WPR13GA338](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13GA338.md): Bell HH-1H · Mount Charleston, NV · Accident · 1 fatal · Final report · Jul 23, 2013 · N233JP · No damage > The 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 WPR12LA233](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA233.md): Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A · Wilton, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 27, 2012 · N8380 · Substantial damage > The failure of the hopper gate mechanism and subsequent sulfur fire during a low-level maneuver. - [NTSB WPR11FA163](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11FA163.md): Sikorsky S-58ET · El Segundo, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 13, 2011 · N33602 · Substantial damage > A partial loss of engine power and the failure of the external hook to release the load for undetermined reasons. - [NTSB WPR09GA407](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09GA407.md): Air Tractor AT-802A · Austin, NV · Accident · 1 fatal · Final report · Aug 20, 2009 · N807MA · Substantial damage > The pilot’s failure to maintain a stabilized approach prior to the retardant drop and his subsequent failure to release the retardant load, resulting in a stall/mush and collision with terrain. ## 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."mKey" IN (SELECT f.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f WHERE starts_with(f."findingCode", '01022551')) ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC ``` This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022551/cases --- 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.