NTSB investigations: Lycoming VO-540 series

23 cases on aircraft whose registry engine model is Lycoming VO-540 series, where the first occurrence was “Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical”. Aircraft are matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model, so older matches can be wrong.

Cases per year

19822026
NTSB investigations: Lycoming VO-540 series per year, 1982–2026: 23 cases
19821
19834
19841
19862
19871
19883
19891
19911
19921
19951
19962
19982
20041
20052

Latest cases

Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "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 c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.engine_model_code IN ('41534', '41582')
      AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o.\"occurrenceNumber\" = 1 AND o.\"occurrenceCode\" = 353))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

NTSB DFW06CA013Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportHiller UH-12E · Pasadena, TXThe pilot's inadequate fuel management, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a loss of engine power. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.Oct 23, 2005 · N909BC · Substantial damageNTSB LAX05CA313Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportHiller UH 12-E · Five Points, CAThe pilot's failure to refuel the helicopter, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.Sep 22, 2005 · N141HA · Substantial damageNTSB FTW04LA198Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 47-G2 · La Porte, TXThe loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.Aug 1, 2004 · N7892B · DestroyedNTSB SEA99LA022Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHiller UH-12E · Wenatchee, WAFuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to accomplish refueling.Dec 17, 1998 · N893FW · Substantial damageNTSB LAX98LA089Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHiller UH-12E · Chico, CAFuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to ensure that an adequate fuel supply was onboard. A contributing factor was related to the fuel quantity gage's erroneous indication of fuel.Feb 13, 1998 · N4027Z · Substantial damageNTSB FTW96LA315Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHiller UH-12E · Mount Holly, ARFuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel the helicopter. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.Jul 24, 1996 · N9743C · Substantial damageNTSB SEA96LA100Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHiller UH-12 · Walla Walla, WAthe pilot's inadequate preflight/planning, and his failure to refuel the helicopter with sufficient fuel before flight, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent forced landing. A factor relating to the accident was: an inaccurate fuel quantity…May 27, 1996 · N174HA · Substantial damageNTSB LAX95LA132Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHiller UH-12E · Five Points, CAfuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inattention to the fuel supply.Mar 12, 1995 · N172ET · Substantial damageNTSB LAX92LA152Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHiller UH-12E · Watsonville, CAA failure of the pilot to conduct an adequate pre-flight inspection of the aircraft to ensure that the fuel supply was free of contaminates. Contributing to this accident was fuel contamination.Mar 27, 1992 · N149HA · Substantial damageNTSB LAX91LA363Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 47G · Kettleman City, CAA non-mechanical loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion by the pilot's improper calculation of the fuel supply and subsequent hard landing.Aug 20, 1991 · N4062G · Substantial damageNTSB LAX89DUJ09Accident · Minor injuriesFinal reportHiller UH-12E · Tolleson, AZAn engine failure due to water contamination in the fuel supply which preceded an autorotation and collision with the ground during night time conditions.Aug 16, 1989 · N7086 · Substantial damageNTSB LAX88DUG06Accident · Minor injuriesFinal reportHiller UH-12E · Thermal, CAShortly after refueling the helicopter & reloading the hopper, the plt took off & was starting to spray a field when the eng suddenly lost power. The plt said the helicopter was dscndg from about 30 ft when the power loss occurred; thus, he barely had time to…Aug 17, 1988 · N65120 · Substantial damageNTSB MIA88LA225Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHiller UH-12E · Clewiston, FLThe plt stated the fuel gages indicated 20 gals when he took off on spraying flt. He had just completed the spray run & started to pull up from about 10 ft & 25 mph. At that time the eng quit '& sounded just like it would if it ran out of gas'. There was not…Jul 18, 1988 · N108HA · Substantial damageNTSB FTW88DRA05Accident · No injuriesFinal reportHiller UH-12E · La Salle, TXAcft was substantially damaged during an emergency autorotation following an engine failure while the acft was completing an aerial application maneuver. Acft touched down tail low and the main rotor blades flexed down and cut off the tail boom. Investigation…Apr 4, 1988 · N4029D · Substantial damageNTSB MIA88LA018Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 47J-2 · Key Colony Bch., FLThe plt stated that he did not check the fuel system for contaminates after refueling but an eighteen minute flt after refueling was uneventful. He then landed the helicopter, remained on the ground aprx 20 minutes, performed a walk around insp, again without…Oct 24, 1987 · N73201 · Substantial damageNTSB LAX86FVM08Accident · No injuriesFinal reportHiller UH 12E · Gonzales, CAA loss of power was expereinced as the acft descended into a field at the beginning of an aerial application spray run. The plt initiated a forced landing into the field. During the landing the right skid dug into the field, tipping the helicopter onto its…Sep 7, 1986 · N149HA · Substantial damageNTSB LAX86LA113Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHiller UH-12E · Lodi, CAWhile on an aerial agricultural spraying flight the acft engine lost total power. The plt executed an immediate autorotation landing. Upon ground contact, the acft skid for about 8 ft until the front skid contacted the ground furrow and nosed over causing the…Feb 7, 1986 · N62421 · Substantial damageNTSB LAX84LA194Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 47-G4A · Dixon, CAThe acft crashed during a forced landing after the engine quit. The plt stated that, 'three minutes into the crop dusting mission the engine quit and he suspected fuel mismanagement.'Feb 24, 1984 · N9017N · DestroyedNTSB LAX83FA462Accident · No injuriesField investigationFinal reportBell 47G-4G · Lodi, CADuring takeoff, the helicopter lost power after climbing aprx 20 ft. the plt made an autorotative landing, but after touchdown, the helicopter slid down a river bank, rolled over & began burning. The fuel tanks did not rupture & still contained fuel. When…Sep 28, 1983 · N7956S · DestroyedNTSB CHI83LA292Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 47G-4A · Wheeler, ILThe plt reported that while he was returning for another load of chemicals, the eng missed a couple of times, then smoothed out for about 1 min. After that, the eng missed again, then quit while the helicopter was at aprx 150 ft AGL. The plt chose to clear…Jul 5, 1983 · N7069J · Substantial damageNTSB LAX83LA236Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHiller UH-12E · Thermal, CAThe plt reported that he was aprx 1/3 of the way thru a procedure turn at about 60 ft AGL, when he experienced a partial power loss. He completed the turn, leveled the helicopter & moumentarily regained complete power, then the engine quit operating. An…May 18, 1983 · N4027L · Substantial damageNTSB LAX83LA181Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHiller UH12-E · Kettleman City, CAThe pilot reported that he began flying about 0725 with 23 gallons of fuel on board. He applied a herbicide for about an hour and came back to reload. After reloading he began a return to the area to be sprayed. About 10 minutes later all power was lost.…Apr 7, 1983 · N68024 · Substantial damageNTSB ATL82DA073Accident · No injuriesFinal reportHiller UH12E · Lydia, SCThe pilot was applying liquid fertilizer on his last swath run prior to reloading when the engine stopped. A run-on landing was attempted during which the skids sank into the soft ground causing the helicopter to roll over. The field was level and covered…Mar 17, 1982 · N4029R · Substantial damage