# NTSB investigations, 2012: Emergency descent

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 WPR13CA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA068.md): Robinson R22 · Logan, UT · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Dec 15, 2012 · N393LE · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action and inadequate supervision during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm. Contributing to the accident was the wet landing surface.
- [NTSB CEN13FA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA075.md): Hughes 369 · Childress, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 27, 2012 · N28MP · Substantial damage
  > The improper maintenance of the helicopter fuel system that resulted in erroneous fuel gauge indications and the pilot’s inadequate fuel management, both of which resulted in fuel exhaustion during a long-line hover. Also causal was the lack of company…
- [NTSB CEN13LA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA056.md): Cessna 210L · La Grange, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 9, 2012 · N732BL · Substantial damage
  > The total loss of engine power due to the loss of oil to the engine. Contributing to the accident was maintenance personnel’s improper installation of the engine oil filter adaptor, which resulted in the loss of oil to the engine.
- [NTSB CEN13FA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA044.md): Cessna 310 · Stotts City, MO · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 5, 2012 · N6BS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control after he shut down the right engine in flight due a loss of oil pressure. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to reposition the unairworthy airplane during twilight after extensive maintenance…
- [NTSB ERA13LA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA045.md): Robinson Helicopter R22 · Alexander City, AL · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 1, 2012 · N231TM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s delayed decision to initiate an autorotation and her subsequent improper conduct of the autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing, after the helicopter started vibrating for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident…
- [NTSB ANC12CA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12CA111.md): Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta II · Anchorage, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 26, 2012 · N4171J · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student pilot during a hovering autorotation, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
- [NTSB WPR12TA436](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12TA436.md): Mcdonnell Douglas Heli 369FF · Las Vegas, NV · Accident · Minor injuries · Final report · Sep 24, 2012 · N911BL · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient airspeed while performing a 270-degree practice autorotation with a gusting tailwind at a high-density altitude.
- [NTSB CEN12FA621](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA621.md): Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta · Houston, TX · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 10, 2012 · N281RG · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter after a loss of engine power. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined because examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded operation.
- [NTSB WPR12LA408](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA408.md): Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 · Grand Canyon, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 9, 2012 · N5745Y · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power during descent for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident engine examinations and testing revealed no evidence of an anomaly that would have precluded normal operation.
- [NTSB WPR12FA349](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA349.md): Cessna P210N · Santa Monica, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 11, 2012 · N41KA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain altitude during a return to the airport following an unspecified emergency; the nature of the emergency could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would…
- [NTSB CEN12WA640](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12WA640.md): Piaggio P149 · Hoogeveen, Netherlands · Accident · Serious injuries · Foreign investigation · Aug 4, 2012 · D-EGIT · Substantial damage
  > On August 4, 2012, at 0945 coordinated universal time, a Piaggio P149D, Dutch registration D-EGIT, owned by a private individual and operated by the pilot, received substantial damage when it impacted terrain under unknown circumstances near Hoogeveen Airport…
- [NTSB WPR12LA267](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA267.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Scottsdale, AZ · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 17, 2012 · N808WH · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control and subsequent hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA12CA375](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA375.md): Schweizer 269C-1 · Titusville, FL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 31, 2012 · N1803R · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action during a simulated engine-out procedure, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB WPR12LA195](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA195.md): Robinson R22 · Kailua-Kona, HI · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 3, 2012 · N209KR · Substantial damage
  > A loss of engine power while maneuvering for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
- [NTSB WPR12TA120](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12TA120.md): Eurocopter AS 350 B3 · Napa, CA · Accident · No injuries · Final report · Mar 1, 2012 · N341HP · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s improper use of the collective control during a practice hovering autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA12CA199](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA199.md): Bell OH-58A · Eufaula, AL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 1, 2012 · N38FA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusting wind, which resulted in an excessive descent rate and hard landing.
- [NTSB WPR12LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA111.md): Enstrom F28 · Kalispell, MT · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 20, 2012 · N51727 · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
- [NTSB ERA12CA179](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA179.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 · N. Charleston, SC · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Feb 13, 2012 · N5511L · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s failure to apply power during a practice autorotation in order to arrest a high rate of descent, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
WITH phase_names(main, name) AS (VALUES (100, 'Prior to flight'), (150, 'Standing'), (200, 'Pushback/towing'), (250, 'Taxi'), (300, 'Takeoff'), (350, 'Initial climb'), (400, 'Enroute'), (450, 'Maneuvering'), (500, 'Approach'), (550, 'Landing'), (600, 'Emergency descent'), (650, 'Uncontrolled descent'), (700, 'Post-impact'), (750, 'After landing'), (800, 'Other'), (990, 'Unknown')),
  crosswalk(code, main, name) AS (VALUES (500, 150, 'Standing'), (501, 150, 'Standing - pre-flight'), (502, 150, 'Standing - starting engine(s)'), (503, 150, 'Standing - engine(s) operating'), (504, 150, 'Standing - engine(s) not operating'), (505, 150, 'Standing - idling rotors'), (510, 250, 'Taxi'), (511, 200, 'Taxi - pushback/tow'), (512, 250, 'Taxi - to takeoff'), (513, 250, 'Taxi - from landing'), (514, 250, 'Taxi - aerial'), (520, 300, 'Takeoff'), (521, 300, 'Takeoff - roll/run'), (522, 350, 'Takeoff - initial climb'), (523, 300, 'Takeoff - aborted'), (530, 400, 'Climb'), (531, 400, 'Climb - to cruise'), (540, 400, 'Cruise'), (541, 400, 'Cruise - normal'), (542, 400, 'Maneuvering - holding (IFR)'), (550, 400, 'Descent'), (551, 400, 'Descent - normal'), (552, 600, 'Descent - emergency'), (553, 650, 'Descent - uncontrolled'), (560, 500, 'Approach'), (561, 500, 'Approach - VFR pattern - downwind'), (562, 500, 'Approach - VFR pattern - base turn'), (563, 500, 'Approach - VFR pattern - base leg/base to final'), (564, 500, 'Approach - VFR pattern - final approach'), (565, 500, 'Go-around (VFR)'), (566, 500, 'Approach - IAF to FAF/outer marker (IFR)'), (567, 500, 'Approach - FAF/outer marker to threshold (IFR)'), (568, 500, 'Circling (IFR)'), (569, 500, 'Missed approach (IFR)'), (570, 550, 'Landing'), (571, 550, 'Landing - flare/touchdown'), (572, 550, 'Landing - roll'), (573, 550, 'Landing - aborted'), (574, 550, 'Emergency landing'), (575, 550, 'Emergency landing after takeoff'), (576, 600, 'Emergency descent/landing'), (580, 450, 'Maneuvering'), (581, 450, 'Maneuvering - aerial application'), (582, 450, 'Maneuvering - turn to reverse direction'), (583, 450, 'Maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency)'), (590, 450, 'Hover'), (591, 450, 'Hover - in ground effect'), (592, 450, 'Hover - out of ground effect'), (600, 800, 'Other'), (610, 990, 'Unknown')),
  current_codes AS (
    SELECT e.case_mkey, TRY_CAST(e."tier1Number" AS INTEGER) AS code,
      row_number() OVER (PARTITION BY e.case_mkey ORDER BY coalesce(e."isDefiningEvent", false) DESC, e.position) AS n
    FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e
    WHERE e.aircrafts_position = 1 AND e."tier1Number" GLOB '[1-9][0-9]*'
      AND (e."isDefiningEvent" OR e.case_mkey IN (SELECT "mKey" FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' WHERE "isPre1982"))
  ),
  phases AS (
    SELECT case_mkey, 'current' AS scheme, code, CASE WHEN code >= 990 THEN 990 ELSE code // 50 * 50 END AS main
    FROM current_codes WHERE n = 1
    UNION ALL
    SELECT o.case_mkey, 'older', o."phaseOfFlightCode", w.main
    FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o JOIN crosswalk w ON w.code = o."phaseOfFlightCode"
    WHERE o.aircrafts_position = 1 AND o."occurrenceNumber" = 1 AND o.case_mkey NOT IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM current_codes)
  ),
  case_phases AS (
    SELECT p.*, c."eventDate", c."highestInjuryLevel" = 'Fatal' AS fatal, a.aircraft_model_code
    FROM phases p JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c ON c."mKey" = p.case_mkey
    LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = p.case_mkey AND a.position = 1
    WHERE c."eventDate" >= DATE '1962-01-01' AND p.main IN (SELECT main FROM phase_names)
  )
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 year(c."eventDate") = 2012
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM case_phases WHERE main = 600)
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600/cases?year=2012

---
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.