# NTSB investigations, CA: Loss of visual reference

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 WPR22LA125](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA125.md): Eurocopter AS332L1 · Azusa, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Mar 20, 2022 · N950SG · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a tree after encountering brownout conditions and a loss of visual reference during the approach to land.
- [NTSB WPR19FA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19FA025.md): Cessna 182 · Redding, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 2 · Field · Final report · Nov 16, 2018 · N2629R · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control after takeoff in dark night instrument meteorological conditions.
- [NTSB WPR18LA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18LA113.md): Schweizer G 164B · Stockton, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 27, 2018 · N3629E · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with power lines while maneuvering during an aerial application flight.
- [NTSB WPR16FA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA014.md): Piper PA 28R-180 · Morongo Valley, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 17, 2015 · N4972J · Destroyed
  > The non-instrument rated pilot's improper inflight decision-making to attempt to outclimb clouds along his planned route rather than reverse course, which resulted in his inadvertent entry into instrument meteorological conditions, spatial disorientation, and…
- [NTSB WPR14LA322](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14LA322.md): Schweizer G 164B · Tulelake, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 1, 2014 · N3627R · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines while maneuvering during low-altitude operations.
- [NTSB WPR14CA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14CA115.md): Bell 47G 5A · Greenfield, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Feb 18, 2014 · N715BH · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a power pole during low-altitude maneuvering flight.
- [NTSB WPR13FA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA080.md): Bell 206 · Delano, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 2, 2013 · N828AC · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control due to spatial disorientation while maneuvering in low visibility, dark night conditions.
- [NTSB WPR12CA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12CA183.md): Bell 206B · Arvin, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 25, 2012 · N969W · Substantial damage
  > The pilot did not maintain clearance from power lines during low altitude maneuvering.
- [NTSB WPR10LA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA115.md): Cessna 172M · Joshua Tree, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 18, 2010 · N13073 · Substantial damage
  > The certified flight instructor's decision to continue visual flight into deteriorating weather, which resulted in his inadvertent encounter with instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent failure to maintain clearance with terrain.
- [NTSB WPR09FA158](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA158.md): Piper PA-32-300 · Corona, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 20, 2009 · N55962 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot did not maintain airplane control during climb due to spatial disorientation while flying in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent instrument flying experience.

## 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" = 'CA' 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" = '402')
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/402/cases?state=CA

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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.