Fatal NTSB investigations: Aerospatiale SA315B

6 cases on aircraft the registry lists as Aerospatiale SA315B. 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.

Defining event

Finding

Phase of flight

Aircraft model

Cases per year

19792026

Fatal NTSB investigations: Aerospatiale SA315B per year, 1979–2026: 6 cases
1979	1
1980	2
1985	1
1996	1
2002	1

Where

Open the map

Latest cases

Query with SQL

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."highestInjuryLevel" = 'Fatal' AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('8680615')) ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC

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.\"highestInjuryLevel\" = 'Fatal'
    AND c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('8680615'))
  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.

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."highestInjuryLevel" = 'Fatal'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('8680615'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC

Run it at the DuckDB prompt, or in any tool that reads Parquet over HTTPS. More ways to query the release are on Use the data.

NTSB DEN02GA085Accident · 1 fatalFinal reportAerospatiale SA315B · Estes Park, COthe pilot's abrupt collective input during water application to a forest fire. Contributing factors were encountering a vortex ring state, the inadvertent settling with power, the low altitude, and the mountainous terrain.Jul 31, 2002 · N3978Y · Destroyed NTSB FTW96WA310Accident · 2 fatalForeign investigationAerospatiale SA315B · La Peruanita, PeruJun 30, 1996 · N32074 · Destroyed NTSB DEN85FA241Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportAerospatiale SA315B · Craig, COThe helicopter was long-lining a 1280-pound air compressor to an 8500-foot MSL mountain drilling site. Witnesses heard a squealing sound and bang. They observed gray-white smoke and orange-blue flame emitting from the exhaust. The plt released the load and…Sep 14, 1985 · N3836E · Destroyed NTSB DEN80FA052Accident · 2 fatalClosedAerospatial SA315 · Meeteetse, WYAug 1, 1980 · N47294 · Destroyed NTSB DEN80FA051Accident · 1 fatalClosedAerospatle 315B · Dell, MTJul 28, 1980 · N67103 · Substantial damage NTSB SEA80FA002Accident · 2 fatalClosedAerospatial SA315B · Swan Valley, IDOct 8, 1979 · N219RM · Destroyed