# VFR encounter with IMC

- Type: NTSB defining event
- NTSB code: 401
- CICTT category: Unintended Flight Into IMC
- Defining event in: 247 cases
- In the sequence of: 392 cases
- Fatal cases: 204
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401/cases.md
- Cases with it anywhere in the sequence: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401/sequence.md
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401

## Cases per year (defining / in the sequence)

- 2008: 17 / 28
- 2009: 16 / 31
- 2010: 14 / 33
- 2011: 12 / 31
- 2012: 10 / 23
- 2013: 14 / 23
- 2014: 13 / 22
- 2015: 12 / 24
- 2016: 14 / 18
- 2017: 22 / 29
- 2018: 6 / 15
- 2019: 16 / 24
- 2020: 9 / 13
- 2021: 19 / 20
- 2022: 13 / 16
- 2023: 16 / 17
- 2024: 18 / 18
- 2025: 6 / 7

## Phase of flight

- Enroute: 78 cases
- Enroute-cruise: 76 cases
- Initial climb: 22 cases
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: 16 cases
- Maneuvering: 14 cases
- Approach: 11 cases
- Enroute-descent: 9 cases
- Takeoff: 8 cases
- Enroute-climb to cruise: 7 cases
- Approach-VFR pattern final: 2 cases

## In the probable cause of these cases

- [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 176 cases
- [Spatial disorientation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022025) (Personnel issues): 79 cases
- [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 76 cases
- [Below VFR minima](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035075) (Environmental issues): 75 cases
- [Performance/control parameters, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000) (Aircraft): 54 cases
- [Weather planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061020) (Personnel issues): 38 cases
- [Low visibility](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035015) (Environmental issues): 37 cases
- [Low ceiling](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035010) (Environmental issues): 33 cases
- [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 31 cases
- [Dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020) (Environmental issues): 27 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22): 8 cases
- [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180): 7 cases
- [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii): 6 cases
- [Piper PA-32-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260): 4 cases
- [Cessna 208B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208b): 4 cases
- [Eurocopter AS 350 B2](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b2): 3 cases
- [Robinson Helicopter R44](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44): 3 cases
- [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 3 cases
- [Cessna 140](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-140): 3 cases
- [Eurocopter France AS350B2](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-france-as350b2): 2 cases

## Newest cases

- [NTSB WPR25FA257](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25FA257), Aug 17, 2025: Cessna 140 (N89447), Shelter Cove, CA, 1 fatal, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB ERA25FA195](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25FA195), May 5, 2025: FFF Express 2000 FT (N519EA), Polk, OH, substantial damage, 1 fatal, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB CEN25FA124](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25FA124), Mar 15, 2025: Robinson Helicopter R44 (N331ES), Danville, VA, destroyed, 1 fatal, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB ERA25LA130](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA130), Feb 26, 2025: Piper PA-28-235 (N43DN), Manchester, VT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper decision to continue the visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the accumulation of airframe icing and a subsequent aerodynamic…
- [NTSB ERA25FA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25FA119), Feb 14, 2025: Cessna 208 (N40EA), Pierson, FL, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The non-instrument-rated pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of control.
- [NTSB GAA25WA066](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA25WA066), Jan 15, 2025: Piper 28 (VH-BTN), Banktown, Australia, occurrence, no damage
- [NTSB GAA25WA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA25WA036), Dec 2, 2024: Cessna 340A (N340GJ), Magny-lès-Villers, France, destroyed
- [NTSB GAA25WA007](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA25WA007), Oct 7, 2024: Cirrus Design SR22 (N456AR), La Bretonnière la Claye, France, destroyed, 2 fatal
- [NTSB ANC24FA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC24FA089), Sep 7, 2024: Bell 206B (N306FW), King Salmon, AK, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to initiate the visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his spatial disorientation, failure to maintain helicopter control and subsequent…
- [NTSB CEN24FA327](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24FA327), Aug 26, 2024: Piper PA-28-140 (N9626K), Wayne, NE, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The non-instrument-rated pilot’s encounter with instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of control.

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted.

Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1).

NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names.

---
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.