# NTSB investigations, PA: VFR encounter with IMC

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 ERA24FA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24FA077.md): Zenith Stol CH701 · Marienville, PA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Dec 30, 2023 · N4209W · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s decision to continue visual flight into deteriorating visibility conditions at night, which resulted in spatial disorientation and subsequent descent that continued to ground contact.
- [NTSB ERA22LA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA060.md): Cessna 150 · Wilkes-Barre, PA · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Nov 14, 2021 · N6714S · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to commence the flight in marginal visual flight rules conditions at night, and his failure to maintain a safe altitude once instrument conditions were encountered.
- [NTSB ERA21LA191](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA191.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 · Forkston, PA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Apr 23, 2021 · N4055N · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s inadequate preflight weather planning, which resulted in an inadvertent encounter with instrument meteorological conditions at night, spatial disorientation, and collision with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA19FA161](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19FA161.md): Cessna 172 · Tyrone, PA · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · May 1, 2019 · N733KZ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s continued visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in controlled flight into trees and terrain.
- [NTSB ERA16FA063](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA063.md): Timothy C Williams CCK-1865 · Linesville, PA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 7, 2015 · N541TC · Substantial damage
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot's improper decision to attempt a flight under visual flight rules at night in instrument meteorological conditions to an unlit airstrip, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
- [NTSB ERA13FA402](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA402.md): Cessna T-50 · Lenox Twp., PA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 3, 2013 · N41759 · Destroyed
  > The pilot's intentional visual flight into night instrument meteorological conditions and thunderstorms and his improper decision to takeoff without getting updated weather information after a briefer cautioned him during a previous flight that visual flight…
- [NTSB ERA13FA336](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA336.md): Robinson R66 · Noxen, PA · Accident · 5 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 28, 2013 · N646AG · Destroyed
  > The pilot's decision to continue VFR flight into night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of control.
- [NTSB ERA13FA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA014.md): Bell 407 · Coolbaugh Township, PA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 10, 2012 · N108MF · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to continue visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions due to self-imposed pressure to complete the trip, which resulted in impact with trees and terrain.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```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" = 'PA' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT e.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e WHERE e."isDefiningEvent" AND e."tier2Number" = '401')
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401/cases?state=PA

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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.