# Maximum weight

- Type: NTSB finding subsection
- Path: [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01) › [Aircraft oper/perf/capability](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0106) › [Aircraft capability](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010610) › Maximum weight
- NTSB code: 01061035
- Cases: 152
- In the probable cause: 122
- Fatal cases: 67
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061035/cases.md
- Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061035/cases.md?cause=1
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061035

## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all)

- 2008: 7 / 9
- 2009: 6 / 6
- 2010: 7 / 10
- 2011: 9 / 12
- 2012: 9 / 10
- 2013: 10 / 11
- 2014: 9 / 10
- 2015: 10 / 12
- 2016: 10 / 12
- 2017: 5 / 11
- 2018: 11 / 11
- 2019: 9 / 10
- 2020: 5 / 6
- 2021: 3 / 3
- 2022: 3 / 7
- 2023: 5 / 6
- 2024: 2 / 3
- 2025: 2 / 3

## Defining events in these cases

- [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 51 cases
- [Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241): 25 cases
- [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 13 cases
- [Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500): 12 cases
- [Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300): 8 cases
- [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 5 cases
- [Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470): 5 cases
- [Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342): 4 cases
- [Aircraft loading event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/010): 4 cases
- [Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220): 3 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii): 9 cases
- [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s): 6 cases
- [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 4 cases
- [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164b): 4 cases
- [Piper PA 46-350P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-350p): 4 cases
- [Robinson Helicopter R44](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44): 3 cases
- [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n): 3 cases
- [Air Tractor AT-502B](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502b): 3 cases
- [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta): 2 cases
- [Cessna 177B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177b): 2 cases

## Other findings in the same cases

- [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 76 cases
- [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 65 cases
- [Weight/balance calculations](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061015) (Personnel issues): 47 cases
- [High density altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020) (Environmental issues): 34 cases
- [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 34 cases
- [Angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042) (Aircraft): 27 cases
- [CG/weight distribution](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061040) (Aircraft): 27 cases
- [Climb rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035) (Aircraft): 17 cases
- [Tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015) (Environmental issues): 14 cases
- [Performance calculations](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061010) (Personnel issues): 13 cases

## Newest cases

- [NTSB WPR25LA308](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA308), Sep 11, 2025: Thomas Graham Teenie Two (N311TS), Chehalis, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper decision to take off with the airplane over its maximum allowable gross weight, which degraded its climb performance and led to a subsequent off airport landing.
- [NTSB CEN25LA231](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA231), Jul 1, 2025: Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B (N8834H), Lockport, LA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate planning for the high density altitude conditions which resulted in reduced airplane performance, climb capability, and subsequent forced landing.
- [NTSB ANC25MA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25MA018), Feb 6, 2025: Textron 208B (N321BA), Nome, AK, destroyed, 10 fatal. Probable cause: The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the pilot’s inadequate airspeed management due to workload and degraded situation awareness and his…
- [NTSB CEN25LA074](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA074), Dec 27, 2024: Cessna 560 (N753MB), Pagosa Springs, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning and poor preflight inspection and decision-making, which led to a takeoff attempt above the airplane’s certified maximum takeoff weight with…
- [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 CEN24LA194](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA194), May 11, 2024: Lanni Charles T Skyranger II (N122LF), Breaux Bridge, LA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to depart with the airplane over maximum gross weight, which reduced the climb performance and resulted in a collision with a tree.
- [NTSB CEN24FA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24FA028), Oct 30, 2023: Piper PA46 (N510KC), McCook, NE, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the initial climb, resulting in an aerodynamic stall from which he could not recover. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s…
- [NTSB ANC23FA074](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23FA074), Sep 13, 2023: Piper PA-18-150 (N109T), St. Mary's, AK, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to operate the airplane above its maximum certificated gross weight, and his installation of an unapproved external load that degraded takeoff performance and flight…
- [NTSB CEN23LA326](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA326), Jul 26, 2023: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N4174L), Charles City, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper preflight of the helicopter to ensure that it was within the loading and performance limitations that resulted in settling and impact with terrain during initial climb.
- [NTSB ERA23FA280](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA280), Jul 2, 2023: Piper PA-32R-300 (N5524F), North Myrtle Beach, SC, destroyed, 5 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of control during initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s operation of the airplane above its…

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.

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