# High elevation - 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) › High elevation - NTSB code: 03021025 - Cases: 16 - In the probable cause: 6 - Fatal cases: 2 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021025/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021025/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021025 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 2 / 2 - 2010: 0 / 3 - 2011: 0 / 1 - 2012: 0 / 1 - 2014: 1 / 1 - 2015: 0 / 1 - 2017: 0 / 1 - 2018: 1 / 1 - 2019: 0 / 1 - 2020: 0 / 1 - 2024: 1 / 2 - 2025: 1 / 1 ## Defining events in these cases - [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 2 cases - [Loss of tail rotor effectiveness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242): 2 cases - [Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241): 2 cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 2 cases - [Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092): 2 cases - [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 1 cases - [Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500): 1 cases - [Loss of visual reference](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/402): 1 cases - [Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342): 1 cases - [Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220): 1 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Aerospatiale AS 355F1](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as-355f1): 2 cases - [Waco UPF-7](https://openairdocs.org/model/waco-upf-7): 1 cases - [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii): 1 cases - [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta): 1 cases - [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 1 cases - [Piper PA-24](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24): 1 cases - [Piper J3C-65](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65): 1 cases - [Cessna 182P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182p): 1 cases - [Cessna 182Q](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182q): 1 cases - [Cessna 172F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172f): 1 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [High density altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020) (Environmental issues): 7 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 7 cases - [Mountainous/hilly terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021010) (Environmental issues): 5 cases - [Climb capability](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061010) (Aircraft): 5 cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 3 cases - [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 3 cases - [Downdraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035) (Environmental issues): 2 cases - [Flight planning/navigation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061025) (Personnel issues): 2 cases - [Monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545) (Personnel issues): 2 cases - [Prop/rotor parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062052) (Aircraft): 2 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB ANC25LA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA064), Jun 30, 2025: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N531AT), Palmer, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s diverted attention during takeoff in flat light conditions, which resulted in a loss of visual reference with terrain. - [NTSB WPR25LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA006), Oct 8, 2024: Agustawestland AW109SP (N631HC), Kamas, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s exceedance of the helicopter’s available power while landing in a confined area, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and a hard landing. - [NTSB WPR24LA207](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA207), Jun 19, 2024: Piper J3C-65 (N3627N), Scheelite, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadvertent entry to a box canyon where the airplane could not outclimb the rising terrain. - [NTSB CEN20LA273](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA273), Jul 11, 2020: Aerospatiale AS355 (N708AC), Rifle, CO, destroyed. Probable cause: A loss of tail rotor effectiveness, the pilot’s subsequent loss of helicopter control, and collision with terrain. - [NTSB WPR20FA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20FA008), Oct 20, 2019: Piper PA 24 (N7742P), Angel Fire, NM, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The airplane’s degraded performance due to high-density altitude and gusting wind conditions, which resulted in its inability to maintain altitude during the initial takeoff climb. Contributing to… - [NTSB CEN18LA329](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA329), Aug 14, 2018: Cessna 150 (N6341K), Madison, SD, substantial damage. Probable cause: A stuck No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve, which resulted in failure of the associated rocker arm, a partial loss of engine power, and the subsequent forced landing into tall vegetation. - [NTSB GAA17CA202](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA202), Mar 25, 2017: Cessna 182 (N52743), Mackay, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to maneuver the airplane over mountainous terrain in high-density altitude conditions, which resulted in the airplane’s inability to maintain altitude or establish a climb. - [NTSB CEN15LA295](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA295), Jun 3, 2015: Waco UPF 7 (N29943), Montrose, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to attain suitable altitude while flying over high mountainous terrain in downdraft conditions. - [NTSB WPR14GA281](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14GA281), Jul 4, 2014: American Eurocopter AS350B3 (N832PA), Fallon, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of tail rotor effectiveness, which resulted in an uncontrolled rotation and descent into terrain. Contributing to the accident was a sudden shift in wind conditions and the helicopter's high… - [NTSB WPR12LA365](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA365), Aug 20, 2012: Cessna 182Q (N735KV), McCall, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s selection of the wrong route while flying in mountainous terrain at a high-density altitude, which resulted in the airplane impacting terrain when the increase in elevation… 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.