# NTSB investigations: Piper PA-28-180: 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 CEN24FA295](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24FA295.md): Piper PA-28-180 · Irene, SD · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jul 31, 2024 · N903US · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s poor decision to continue the flight into deteriorating weather conditions and his failure to maintain a safe altitude, which resulted in controlled flight into trees and terrain.
- [NTSB WPR24FA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA040.md): Piper PA-28-180 · Mertzon, TX · Accident · 3 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Nov 26, 2023 · N7763W · Destroyed
  > The non-instrument-rated pilot’s continued visual flight into night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s overconfidence.
- [NTSB ERA24FA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24FA036.md): Piper PA-28-180 · Micanopy, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Nov 14, 2023 · N7806W · Destroyed
  > The non-instrument-rated pilot’s improper inflight decision making and his flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s…
- [NTSB ERA23FA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA109.md): Piper PA-28-180 · Dawsonville, GA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jan 13, 2023 · N4254T · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s decision to initiate a visual flight rules flight into night instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in a loss of control in-flight due to spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of qualifications and…
- [NTSB CEN19FA247](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19FA247.md): Piper PA28 · Ontonagon, MI · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Aug 3, 2019 · N5167L · Destroyed
  > The non-instrument-rated pilot’s decision to continue visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions with thunderstorm activity, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of airplane control.
- [NTSB CEN18FA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18FA054.md): Piper PA28 · Reeds Spring, MO · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 18, 2017 · N6433J · Destroyed
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot's inadequate pre-flight planning and in-flight decision-making, which resulted in flight into known instrument meteorological conditions and the subsequent collision with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA11FA422](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11FA422.md): Piper PA-28-180 · Berne, NY · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 25, 2011 · N1279T · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees and rising terrain while attempting to reverse course. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to obtain a preflight weather…
- [NTSB CEN10LA055](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA055.md): Piper PA-28-180 · Naytahwaush, MN · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 14, 2009 · N7736N · Destroyed
  > The non-instrument rated pilot's decision to continue the flight into known instrument meteorological conditions resulting in spatial disorientation and impact with 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."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('7102808')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '401' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401/sequence?model=7102808

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