# NTSB investigations, 2014: 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 WPR15CA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15CA043.md): Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta · Prescott, AZ · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Nov 15, 2014 · N32VH · Substantial damage
  > The certified flight instructor's failure to maintain helicopter control during the autorotation which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent roll over.
- [NTSB CEN15LA042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA042.md): Mosier Robert S Mosquito XET · Angleton, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 8, 2014 · N922RM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from trees during a precautionary landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection during which he failed to detect a loose drive belt, which resulted in an in-flight…
- [NTSB CEN14CA513](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA513.md): Schweizer 269C · Grand Forks, ND · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 22, 2014 · N1675U · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor's inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a tail rotor strike.
- [NTSB CEN14LA517](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA517.md): Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta · Cahokia, IL · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 19, 2014 · N115DD · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s poor decision to take off with the clutch warning light illuminated, which resulted in the total failure of the fan assembly due to a lack of lubrication. Contributing to the accident was the mechanic’s failure to lubricate the lower actuator…
- [NTSB ERA14LA433](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA433.md): Piper J3C 65 · Carrol County, VA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 10, 2014 · N26105 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees during an emergency landing after encountering deteriorating weather conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s poor preflight weather planning, which resulted in an inadvertent encounter with…
- [NTSB WPR14LA353](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14LA353.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Pahrump, NV · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 24, 2014 · N4246Z · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power during a practice autorotation for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
- [NTSB CEN14CA409](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA409.md): Glasflugel H 301 B Libelle · Brenham, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 6, 2014 · N1615 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's attempt to maneuver away from power lines during a forced landing, which resulted in a collision with a tree and a fence.
- [NTSB WPR14LA300](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14LA300.md): Luscombe 8A · Rancho Cucamonga, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 19, 2014 · N77942 · Substantial damage
  > The loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
- [NTSB CEN14CA367](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA367.md): American Eurocopter AS350B3 · Grand Praire, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 15, 2014 · N350GP · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor's inadequate supervision during a practice autorotation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's hard landing during a practice autorotation.
- [NTSB ERA14FA313](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA313.md): Cessna 182 · Littleton, NC · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 27, 2014 · N182PE · Substantial damage
  > Maintenance personnel's application of sealant to the engine case halves during engine overhaul, contrary to manufacturer's instructions, which resulted in internal failure of the engine due to the loss of case bolt torque.
- [NTSB ERA14LA311](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA311.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Nashville, TN · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 24, 2014 · N544BS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain rotor rpm during an autorotation after a perceived partial loss of power, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was radio frequency interference with the governor controller, which resulted in an…
- [NTSB CEN14LA313](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA313.md): Robinson R22 - Beta · Moscow Mills, MO · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 19, 2014 · N784SH · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action to correct the student pilot’s use of an excessive descent rate during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB CEN14LA202](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA202.md): Nanchang CJ6 - A · Flushing, MI · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 19, 2014 · N594T · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an off-airport forced landing after a loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to…
- [NTSB CEN14FA173](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14FA173.md): Worthington Donald Wayne Sonerai II LT · Highlands Ranch, CO · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 29, 2014 · N63917 · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s loss of control during a forced landing following a loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined due to postimpact fire damage.
- [NTSB CEN14LA197](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA197.md): Robinson R44 - II · Menard, TX · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 23, 2014 · N44MD · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate recovery from a practice autorotation, which resulted in an improper touchdown attitude and collision with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA14TA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14TA113.md): Hughes 369 · Naples, FL · Accident · No injuries · Final report · Feb 3, 2014 · N8618F · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate flare during the termination of a practice 180-degree autorotation and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in the tail rotor contacting the ground.
- [NTSB WPR14LA084](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14LA084.md): Eurocopter EC 130 B4 · Boulder City, NV · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 1, 2014 · N133GC · Substantial damage
  > A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the noncertificated maintenance technician’s failure to properly tighten and safety wire a B-nut fitting. Contributing to the accident was the maintenance technician’s failure to follow the…

## 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") = 2014
  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=2014

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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.