# NTSB investigations, 2018: 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 CEN19LA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA051.md): Piper PA 23 · Beaver Island, MI · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 31, 2018 · N2146P · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain a positive rate of climb after takeoff which resulted in an impact with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inability to see a visible horizon due to the dark night lighting conditions and limited…
- [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 ERA19LA012](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA012.md): Piper PA34 · Westhampton Beach, NY · Accident · 3 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 13, 2018 · N593MS · Destroyed
  > The instructor's decision to conduct and continue a visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions with a known flight instrument anomaly, which resulted in spatial disorientation, causing a loss of airplane control and subsequent…
- [NTSB ERA19FA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19FA010.md): Vans RV8 · Culpeper, VA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 2 · Field · Final report · Oct 12, 2018 · N804RL · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of attitude orientation while maneuvering at low altitude in dark night visual meteorological conditions, which resulted in impact 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 ANC18TA070](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC18TA070.md): Cessna U206 · Willow, AK · Accident · Serious injuries · Final report · Sep 9, 2018 · N8070Z · Substantial damage
  > The pilot receiving instruction's failure to maintain control during a night landing pattern crosswind turn due to spatial disorientation and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action, which resulted in impact with terrain.
- [NTSB CEN18FA368](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18FA368.md): Piper PA32RT · St Ignace, MI · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 1, 2018 · N500MJ · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude after takeoff in dark night conditions which resulted in a collision with the water.
- [NTSB WPR18FA232](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA232.md): Hughes 369 · Granger, TX · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 21, 2018 · N530FU · Destroyed
  > The failure of both pilots to see and avoid a power line while maneuvering at low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's decision to not follow the training syllabus and allow the low-level high-speed flight.
- [NTSB DCA18IA265](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA18IA265.md): Gulfstream G IV · Philadelphia, PA · Incident · No injuries · Class 3 · Incident · Final report · Aug 11, 2018 · N619A · No damage
  > The flight crew’s misalignment of the airplane with a taxiway instead of the assigned runway, resulting in a low-altitude go-around late in the final approach and reduced separation with the airplanes on the taxiway.
- [NTSB ERA18FA197](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18FA197.md): Piper PA32R · Lincolnton, NC · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 24, 2018 · N38523 · Substantial damage
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot's intentional visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control due to spatial disorientation. Contributing the accident was the pilot's self-induced pressure to complete…
- [NTSB ANC18FA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC18FA053.md): De Havilland DHC 3 · Hydaburg, AK · Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 10, 2018 · N3952B · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to continue the visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
- [NTSB ANC18FA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC18FA036.md): Piper PA-28-180 · Whittier, AK · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 2 · Field · Final report · May 12, 2018 · N7061W · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's decision to depart and continue on a solo cross-country flight through mountainous terrain in marginal visual flight rules conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
- [NTSB ERA18FA127](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18FA127.md): Cessna 525 · Crozet, VA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 16, 2018 · N525P · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of control while operating in night instrument meteorological conditions as a result of spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to operate an airplane after consuming alcohol and his resulting…
- [NTSB GAA18CA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA215.md): Page Russell L Long EZ · Wakefield, VA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 13, 2018 · N27RP · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to secure the canopy before flight, which resulted in the airplane striking a fence during the approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to follow the Before Takeoff checklist and In-flight Canopy Opening checklist…
- [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 ERA18LA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA094.md): Cessna 172 · Ocean City, MD · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 1, 2018 · N615JA · Destroyed
  > The pilot's flight in dark night visual meteorological conditions, which resulted in an impact with water for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
- [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 GAA18CA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA095.md): Cessna 150 · Nampa, ID · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jan 2, 2018 · N3229V · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s geographic disoriention during a night flight, which resulted in an off-airport landing.

## 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") = 2018
  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?year=2018

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