# NTSB investigations, WI: 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 CEN25LA211](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA211.md): Cessna U206 · Falun, WI · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jun 18, 2025 · N932DB · Substantial damage
  > The pilot experiencing the featureless terrain illusion during the approach which gave the perception that the airplane was at a higher altitude over the glassy water surface than it was, resulting in the airplane impacting the water.
- [NTSB CEN23FA239](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA239.md): Mooney M20R · Watertown, WI · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jun 14, 2023 · N1025C · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s loss of control due to spatial disorientation while operating in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impairment from the prohibited substance; however, the extent of impairment could not be determined.
- [NTSB CEN21FA297](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21FA297.md): Earthstar Gull 2000 · Curtiss, WI · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jun 30, 2021 · N1712L · Substantial damage
  > The non-instrument-rated pilot’s decision to depart into instrument meteorological conditions with dense fog and low clouds, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s self-imposed…
- [NTSB CEN20CA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA119.md): Cessna 208 · Rhinelander, WI · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 5, 2020 · N706FX · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper decision to continue an instrument approach to landing following a loss of visual reference with the runway, which resulted in the airplane touching down left of the runway in snow and flipping over.
- [NTSB GAA16CA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA067.md): Taylorcraft BC12 65 · New Lisbon, WI · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Nov 2, 2015 · N33939 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, resulting in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.
- [NTSB CEN09FA340](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09FA340.md): Gulfstream American AA-5B · Humbird, WI · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 7, 2009 · N448DM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to attempt a visual flight rules flight into an area of known instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control due to spatial disorientation.

## 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" = 'WI' 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=WI

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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.