# Pole - Type: NTSB finding subsection - Path: [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03) › [Physical environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0302) › [Object/animal/substance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030220) › Pole - NTSB code: 03022010 - Cases: 142 - In the probable cause: 53 - Fatal cases: 14 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 3 / 12 - 2009: 4 / 9 - 2010: 1 / 5 - 2011: 6 / 10 - 2012: 1 / 6 - 2013: 2 / 5 - 2014: 1 / 8 - 2015: 0 / 8 - 2016: 3 / 13 - 2017: 1 / 8 - 2018: 6 / 18 - 2019: 6 / 11 - 2020: 6 / 6 - 2021: 6 / 9 - 2022: 1 / 2 - 2023: 1 / 4 - 2024: 2 / 3 - 2025: 3 / 4 - 2026: 0 / 1 ## Defining events in these cases - [Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341): 17 cases - [Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200): 17 cases - [Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220): 16 cases - [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 13 cases - [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 11 cases - [Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192): 9 cases - [Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342): 7 cases - [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 6 cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 6 cases - [Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340): 5 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii): 4 cases - [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161): 4 cases - [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p): 4 cases - [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m): 4 cases - [Air Tractor AT-802A](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-802a): 4 cases - [Piper PA-28R-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200): 3 cases - [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150): 3 cases - [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164b): 3 cases - [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s): 3 cases - [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180): 2 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545) (Personnel issues): 36 cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 31 cases - [Fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010) (Aircraft): 17 cases - [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 15 cases - [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 13 cases - [Not determined, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000) (Not determined): 10 cases - [Fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030) (Personnel issues): 10 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 10 cases - [Tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020) (Environmental issues): 9 cases - [Tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015) (Environmental issues): 8 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB WPR26LA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA099), Feb 5, 2026: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada BHT407 (N407VS), Libby, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a light post during landing. - [NTSB CEN26LA074](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA074), Dec 31, 2025: Pitts S1S (N401MS), Carbondale, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation resulting from an uncommanded change to the fuel servo mixture position due to the improperly installed mixture cable. - [NTSB WPR26LA065](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA065), Dec 20, 2025: Cessna 150F (N8155S), Temecula, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection and fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. - [NTSB ERA26LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA068), Dec 11, 2025: Piper PA-28-181 (N620AC), Fort Pierce, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate visual lookout while taxing, which resulted in the airplane striking a light pole. - [NTSB CEN25LA359](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA359), Aug 31, 2025: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N442PR), Nashville, AR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate fuel planning which resulted in a total loss of power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the landing zone being unlit. - [NTSB CEN25LA037](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA037), Oct 27, 2024: Beech A36 (N3046K), Pineville, LA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The airplane’s collision with a stake on a closed runway. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning and failure to see the closed runway markings. - [NTSB CEN24FA338](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24FA338), Sep 5, 2024: Air Tractor AT-602 (N602BA), Camden, CO, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from a power transformer that was mounted to a power pole during an aerial application flight. - [NTSB WPR24LA283](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA283), Aug 9, 2024: Piper PA-32-300 (N56631), Fallbrook, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from an obstacle during taxi operations. - [NTSB ERA23LA386](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA386), Sep 30, 2023: Cessna 172 (N9522L), Greensboro, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a light pole during taxi. - [NTSB CEN23LA428](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA428), Aug 30, 2023: Bellanca 17-31A (N14723), Maurice, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing. 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.