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NTSB investigations: Aerospatiale SA315B, UT

12 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

19772026

Where

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."eventStateOrRegion" = 'UT' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA' 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.\"eventStateOrRegion\" = 'UT' AND c.\"eventCountry\" = 'USA'
    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."eventStateOrRegion" = 'UT' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  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 WPR24LA161Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportAerospatiale SA315B · Hildale, UTMaintenance personnel’s failure to properly secure the EGT thermocouples, which resulted in catastrophic overtemperature of the engine and a total loss of engine power.May 27, 2024 · N57948 · Substantial damage NTSB DEN05LA131Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAerospatiale SA315B · Duchesne, UTthe loss of control during external load operations for undetermined reasons.Sep 2, 2005 · N220SH · Substantial damage NTSB SEA92LA076Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAerospatiale SA315B · Magna, UTThe overheat of the engine combustion section, and the failure of the turbine blades.Apr 13, 1992 · N315DY · Substantial damage NTSB DEN90FA115Accident · Serious injuriesField investigationFinal reportAerospatiale SA315B · La Sal, UTA failure of the engine speed governor unit due to improper storage and/or inspection of the speed governor unit prior to placing it in service. A factor in the accident was the pilot carrying passengers on the external load.May 23, 1990 · N402AH · Substantial damage NTSB DEN85LA057Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAerospatiale SA315B · Salt Lake City, UTThe helicopter collided uncontrolled with the terrain during external load operation. A 100 ft steel cable was attached to the cargo hook on the helicopter and a nylon sling was attached to the cable so a snowcat could be pulled out of a mud area. The plt…Jan 3, 1985 · N1356A · Destroyed NTSB DEN85IA025Incident · Minor injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportAerospatiale SA315B (Lama) · Oak City, UTBoth acft were performing external load operations. N5785V was in level flt to the north. N9362 was in a 60-70 kt slight climb to the southeast. Neither plt, both in rt seats, saw the other acft before contact. Three main rotor blades of N5785V passed through…Nov 11, 1984 · N5785V · 2 aircraft · Minor damage NTSB DEN84LA175Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAerospatiale SA-315B · Salina, UTThe acft was on a maintenance check flt after the main rotor shaft assembly thrust bearing had been replaced after the acft had yawing problems and popping sounds at high pitch settings while liftings loads. The plt tried to duplicate the conditions for the…Jun 10, 1984 · N29907 · Substantial damage NTSB DEN82DA118Accident · Minor injuriesFinal reportAerospatiale SA 315 B · 35 Se Moab, UTHelicopter lifting sling loads lost power in a hover. Pilot jettisoned load and made a forced landing in a ravine, engine had dirt buildup and erosion in the compressor inlet case which led to compressor stall.Jun 26, 1982 · N221RM · Substantial damage NTSB DEN82FTM13Accident · Serious injuriesFinal reportAerospatiale 315B · Coalville, UTDuring a seismic exploration flight the eng quit. No eng malfunction was found.Jun 3, 1982 · N8237 · Substantial damage NTSB DEN82FTM05Accident · Minor injuriesClosedAerospatle 315B · Cedar City, UTNov 21, 1981 · N47273 · Substantial damage NTSB DEN79FTM06Accident · Minor injuriesClosedAerospatial SA315B · Magna, UTDec 21, 1978 · N10067 · Substantial damage NTSB DEN77DTM09Accident · No injuriesClosedAerospatle SA315B · Thistle, UTJan 31, 1977 · N67103 · Substantial damage