# 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 WPR23FA172](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23FA172.md): Cessna 172S · Los Angeles, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Apr 30, 2023 · N575ND · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance with the hilly terrain resulting from his loss of situational awareness due to the deteriorating weather conditions as he descended to approach his destination airport.
- [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 WPR22FA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA101.md): Mcdonnell Douglas 500N · Newport Beach, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Feb 20, 2022 · N521HB · Substantial damage
  > The helicopter’s encounter with unanticipated right yaw during a low-altitude, low-airspeed, tight-radius orbit. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction during the orbit, which resulted in the loss of control, his fatigue due to his early…
- [NTSB WPR22FA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA021.md): Cessna 150L · Dunsmuir, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Oct 20, 2021 · N5268Q · Substantial damage
  > The non-certificated pilot’s improper decision to continue the flight under visual flight rules into instrument meteorological conditions which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
- [NTSB WPR20LA319](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA319.md): Cessna T182 · Santa Barbara, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 27, 2020 · N157RC · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation after entering instrument meteorological conditions.
- [NTSB WPR19TA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19TA068.md): Pitts S1 · Torrance, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Final report · Jan 19, 2019 · N31WK · 2 aircraft · Minor damage
  > The biplane pilot’s inadequate visual lookout while taxing, which resulted in a ground collision.
- [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 WPR18FA084](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA084.md): Cessna 182T · Santee, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 6, 2018 · N3525T · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to take off into instrument meteorological conditions that resulted in spatial disorientation, and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB WPR17FA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17FA105.md): Socata TB 20 Trinidad · Sierraville, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 17, 2017 · N28070 · Destroyed
  > The pilot's decision to continue visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into mountainous terrain.
- [NTSB WPR17FA055](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17FA055.md): Mooney M20J · Lake Hughes, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 12, 2017 · N6201N · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's controlled flight into mountainous terrain while attempting to operate under visual flight rules in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
- [NTSB GAA16CA091](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA091.md): Cessna 177 · Grass Valley, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Dec 28, 2015 · N29533 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's loss of directional control during the touchdown and the subsequent attempted aborted landing which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with terrain.
- [NTSB GAA16LA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16LA032.md): Philip D Anderson 601 · Hemet, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 27, 2015 · N467SD · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain the airplane's descent rate during a precautionary landing, which resulted in hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to secure the canopy before takeoff, which precipitated the precautionary landing.
- [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 WPR15FA166](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15FA166.md): Cessna 210F · Pleasanton, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 21, 2015 · N1842F · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument flight rules conditions, which resulted in his failure to maintain sufficient clearance from rising terrain.
- [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 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 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 WPR10LA446](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA446.md): Bell 47G · Salinas, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 3, 2010 · N4427F · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his spatial disorientation and loss of helicopter control.
- [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 s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '402' 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/402/sequence?state=CA

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