# Terrain, general - Type: NTSB finding subsection - Path: [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03) › [Physical environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0302) › [Terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030210) › Terrain, general - NTSB code: 03021000 - Cases: 267 - In the probable cause: 98 - Fatal cases: 24 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 30 / 54 - 2009: 12 / 29 - 2010: 6 / 11 - 2011: 2 / 11 - 2012: 2 / 10 - 2013: 6 / 18 - 2014: 5 / 24 - 2015: 6 / 22 - 2016: 2 / 26 - 2017: 6 / 19 - 2018: 5 / 12 - 2019: 5 / 6 - 2020: 3 / 8 - 2021: 1 / 5 - 2022: 3 / 4 - 2023: 2 / 5 - 2024: 1 / 1 - 2025: 1 / 2 ## Defining events in these cases - [Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341): 45 cases - [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 36 cases - [Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342): 31 cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 17 cases - [Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096): 16 cases - [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 15 cases - [Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220): 11 cases - [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 11 cases - [Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340): 8 cases - [Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192): 8 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164b): 7 cases - [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 4 cases - [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s): 4 cases - [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152): 4 cases - [Robinson Helicopter R44](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44): 3 cases - [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150): 3 cases - [Gulfstream-Schweizer A/C GULFSTREAM AM G-164B](https://openairdocs.org/model/gulfstream-schweizer-a-c-gulfstream-am-g-164b): 3 cases - [Cessna TR182](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-tr182): 3 cases - [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p): 3 cases - [Socata TBM 700](https://openairdocs.org/model/socata-tbm-700): 2 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 67 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 45 cases - [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 40 cases - [Not determined, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000) (Not determined): 36 cases - [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 28 cases - [Fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010) (Aircraft): 22 cases - [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 15 cases - [Monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545) (Personnel issues): 14 cases - [Gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045) (Environmental issues): 13 cases - [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 13 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB ANC25LA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA121), Sep 18, 2025: Maule M-4-210C (N4612T), Lime Village, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: A collision with terrain during takeoff. - [NTSB WPR25LA246](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA246), Aug 11, 2025: Hiller UH-12E (N703WA), Fobes Hill, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s abrupt maneuver to avoid a powerline during an aerial application flight, which resulted in the helicopter’s impact with terrain. - [NTSB WPR24LA265](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA265), Aug 3, 2024: Bell 407 (N20BH), Raft River, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s misdiagnosis of an erroneous engine instrument indication and his subsequent decision to enter an autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing due to degraded visual cues and low… - [NTSB CEN24LA069](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA069), Dec 18, 2023: Aero Commander 100 (N4104X), Texarkana, AR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper decision to attempt a go-around with full flaps extended, which resulted in decreased climb performance and led to a collision with trees. - [NTSB CEN24LA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA002), Oct 1, 2023: Cessna 182R (N357HT), Olathe, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s mismanagement of the available fuel which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. - [NTSB CEN23LA357](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA357), Aug 8, 2023: Piper PA25 (N8847L), Hartington, NE, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s misperception of the rising terrain resulting in a collision with crops and terrain. - [NTSB CEN23LA300](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA300), Jul 12, 2023: Acrosport II (N827JA), Hertford, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent impact with vegetation. - [NTSB CEN23LA212](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA212), May 29, 2023: Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B (N6678Q), Light, AR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot exceeding the climb capability of the airplane during takeoff which led to it settling into the ground. - [NTSB CEN23LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA006), Oct 7, 2022: Aerostar International S53A (N9140F), Albuquerque, NM, minor damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inability to find a suitable landing area in a critical fuel situation and his decision to land on a highway, which resulted in the balloon impacting a bridge railing and terrain. - [NTSB CEN23LA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA002), Oct 2, 2022: Champion 7KCAB (N869TT), Danville, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot decision to perform a precautionary landing to a field with obstacles which resulted in a ground loop. Contributing was the pilot’s inadequate fuel planning. 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.