# NTSB investigations, VA: 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 CEN25FA124](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25FA124.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 · Danville, VA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report · Mar 15, 2025 · N331ES · Destroyed
  > On March 15, 2025, about 1500 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, N331ES, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Danville, Virginia. The pilot was fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal…
- [NTSB ERA23FA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA131.md): Cessna 150G · Hillsville, VA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Feb 27, 2023 · N2991J · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s continued visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in controlled flight into terrain.
- [NTSB ERA20LA305](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA305.md): Piper PA20 · Luray, VA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Aug 31, 2020 · N7323K · Destroyed
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation, a loss of control, and collision with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA19FA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19FA003.md): Piper J3C · Fancy Gap, VA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 6, 2018 · N38811 · Substantial damage
  > The non-instrument-rated pilot's improper decision to undertake a flight into forecast instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and his subsequent decision to continue the flight after encountering IMC, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.…
- [NTSB ERA18TA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18TA142.md): Barry Maggio Apollo AG-1 · Smith Beach, VA · Accident · Minor injuries · Final report · May 6, 2018 · N141C · Substantial damage
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight weather planning, which resulted in an off-airport precautionary landing to avoid weather and a subsequent collision with power lines.
- [NTSB ERA17CA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17CA008.md): Algimantas Jonusas RV-10 · Ashwood, VA · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 7, 2016 · N100UK · Substantial damage
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight weather planning and continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in impact with trees and terrain.
- [NTSB ERA14LA433](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA433.md): Piper J3C 65 · Carrol County, VA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 10, 2014 · N26105 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees during an emergency landing after encountering deteriorating weather conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s poor preflight weather planning, which resulted in an inadvertent encounter with…
- [NTSB ERA10CA392](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA392.md): Cessna 172N · Elk Creek, VA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 31, 2010 · N172FL · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an off-airport landing.
- [NTSB ERA10CA017](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA017.md): Piper PA28 · Lebanon, VA · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 10, 2009 · N43620 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to continue flight under visual flight rules into known deteriorating weather conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
- [NTSB ERA09FA311](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09FA311.md): Mooney M20D · Clintwood, VA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 29, 2009 · N6628U · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
- [NTSB NYC08CA236](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA236.md): Glasflugel Standard Libelle · Front Royal, VA · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 29, 2008 · N184W · Substantial damage
  > Aircraft control was not maintained during cruise flight. Contributing to the accident was turbulence and inadvertent flight into adverse weather.

## 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" = 'VA' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE 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?state=VA

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