# NTSB investigations, 2012: 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 WPR13FA312](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA312.md): Mooney M20F · Yosemite Valley, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 17, 2012 · N9524M · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to continue flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his failure to maintain situational awareness and sufficient altitude to clear mountainous terrain.
- [NTSB ERA13WA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13WA089.md): Piper PA34 · Zulia, Colombia · Accident · 4 fatal · Foreign investigation · Dec 12, 2012 · HK4477G · Destroyed
  > On December 12, 2012, about 1530 universal coordinated time (1030 local time), a Piper PA-34-200T, Colombian registration HK4477G, was destroyed when it impacted rising mountainous terrain in the vicinity of La Cuchilla, near Zulia, Norte de Santander,…
- [NTSB WPR13CA065](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA065.md): Bellanca 7ECA · Tehachapi, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Dec 8, 2012 · N8595V · Substantial damage
  > The non-instrument-rated pilot's continued descent into instrument meteorological conditions during the landing approach and his loss of situational awareness, which resulted in a collision with terrain.
- [NTSB CEN13FA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA082.md): Beech P35 · Correctionville, IA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 2, 2012 · N1566Z · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to perform a go-around after encountering thick fog at night.
- [NTSB CEN13FA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA039.md): Cessna 320E · San Marcos, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 1, 2012 · N10PM · Substantial damage
  > The non-instrument-rated pilot’s decision to takeoff in night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of control.
- [NTSB ERA13FA026](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA026.md): Aerospatiale AS 355 · Erwinna, PA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 17, 2012 · C-FXGM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to depart under visual flight rules in dark night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in subsequent spatial disorientation, uncontrolled descent, and impact with trees and terrain.
- [NTSB WPR13FA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA013.md): Aeropro CZ A240 · Half Moon Bay, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 15, 2012 · N72AH · Substantial damage
  > The non-instrument-rated pilot’s decision to depart into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of airplane 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.
- [NTSB WPR13FA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA008.md): Piper PA-32R-301T · Laramie Peak, WY · Accident · 4 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 9, 2012 · N110UM · Destroyed
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his failure to maintain sufficient clearance from rising terrain.
- [NTSB CEN13FA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA003.md): Bell 407 · Intracoastal City, LA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 5, 2012 · N406AL · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to attempt a local flight in marginal visual meteorological conditions and his subsequent loss of control following an inadvertent encounter with instrument metrological conditions shortly after takeoff.
- [NTSB CEN12FA639](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA639.md): Mooney M20J · Teddys Peak, CO · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 13, 2012 · N58119 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to continue flight into deteriorating weather conditions, including fog and mountain obscuration, and his failure to maintain clearance with known rising terrain along the route of flight, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
- [NTSB ANC12CA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12CA089.md): Maule M-5-210C · Coldfoot, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 18, 2012 · N319X · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's delayed decision to turn around while flying through a narrow mountain pass, which resulted in a forced landing and impact with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA12FA467](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12FA467.md): Brenholt Larry R RV-4 · Cedartown, GA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 20, 2012 · N25UA · Substantial damage
  > The non-instrument-rated pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions and his failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering for a forced landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and collision with terrain.
- [NTSB ANC12FA066](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12FA066.md): Piper PA-32R-301 · Fairbanks, AK · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 19, 2012 · N432LT · Destroyed
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot's decision to continue visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions likely leading to spatial disorientation, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and in-flight structural failure.
- [NTSB WPR12FA305](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA305.md): Cirrus Design SR22 · Salina, UT · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 14, 2012 · N86AA · Substantial damage
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of airplane control.
- [NTSB ERA12FA438](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12FA438.md): Cirrus Design SR20 · Moscow, TN · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 11, 2012 · N764RV · Substantial damage
  > The non-instrument rated pilot’s decision to continue visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his spatial disorientation, a loss of airplane control, and subsequent impact with trees and terrain.
- [NTSB WPR12FA255](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA255.md): Piper PA-32-300 · Mountain Home, ID · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 9, 2012 · N8990N · Substantial damage
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into mountainous terrain.
- [NTSB WPR12CA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12CA213.md): Rotherwick HR Glasair III · Darby, MT · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 17, 2012 · N471B · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s loss of directional control during an emergency landing on a paved highway.
- [NTSB CEN12FA196](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA196.md): Beech 35 · Glencoe, MN · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 21, 2012 · N3871N · Substantial damage
  > The non-instrument-rated pilot’s continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the design limits of the airplane being exceeded and an in-flight breakup.
- [NTSB ANC12LA026](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12LA026.md): Dehavilland Beaver DHC-2 · Ketchikan, AK · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 13, 2012 · N82SF · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to depart in marginal visual meteorological conditions, and his continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions.
- [NTSB ERA12FA205](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12FA205.md): Cessna LC42-550FG · Salisburry, NC · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 2, 2012 · N167ZP · Destroyed
  > The non-instrument-rated pilot's decision to continue flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of control.
- [NTSB WPR12FA091](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA091.md): Cessna T206H · Show Low, AZ · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 4, 2012 · N445GH · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s encounter with low clouds/low visibility conditions during the initial climb, which resulted in spatial disorientation and loss of airplane control.
- [NTSB ERA12FA151](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12FA151.md): Cessna 150G · Quincy, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 23, 2012 · N73JK · Substantial damage
  > The non-instrument-rated pilot’s spatial disorientation in night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his inability to maintain controlled flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to take off in deteriorating…

## 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 year(c."eventDate") = 2012
  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?year=2012

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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.
