# Visual illusion/disorientation

- Type: NTSB finding subsection
- Path: [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02) › [Psychological](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0202) › [Perception/orientation/illusion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/020220) › Visual illusion/disorientation
- NTSB code: 02022015
- Cases: 51
- In the probable cause: 42
- Fatal cases: 22
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022015/cases.md
- Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022015/cases.md?cause=1
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022015

## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all)

- 2008: 2 / 2
- 2009: 4 / 4
- 2010: 2 / 2
- 2011: 4 / 4
- 2012: 3 / 3
- 2013: 3 / 3
- 2014: 2 / 2
- 2015: 1 / 2
- 2016: 2 / 2
- 2017: 1 / 1
- 2018: 2 / 2
- 2020: 2 / 4
- 2021: 2 / 2
- 2022: 6 / 7
- 2023: 4 / 6
- 2024: 0 / 3
- 2025: 2 / 2

## Defining events in these cases

- [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 11 cases
- [Loss of visual reference](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/402): 8 cases
- [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 6 cases
- [Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220): 6 cases
- [Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092): 4 cases
- [VFR encounter with IMC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401): 3 cases
- [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 2 cases
- [Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200): 2 cases
- [Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901): 1 cases
- [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 1 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii): 3 cases
- [Cessna T206H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t206h): 2 cases
- [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b): 2 cases
- [Taylorcraft BC12-65](https://openairdocs.org/model/taylorcraft-bc12-65): 1 cases
- [Eurocopter AS 350 BA](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-ba): 1 cases
- [Eurocopter AS 350 B2](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b2): 1 cases
- [Sikorsky S-76C](https://openairdocs.org/model/sikorsky-s-76c): 1 cases
- [Raytheon 58](https://openairdocs.org/model/raytheon-58): 1 cases
- [Piper PA46-500TP](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa46-500tp): 1 cases
- [Piper PA-28R-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200): 1 cases

## Other findings in the same cases

- [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 18 cases
- [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 15 cases
- [Dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020) (Environmental issues): 9 cases
- [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 9 cases
- [Monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545) (Personnel issues): 7 cases
- [Flat light](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036025) (Environmental issues): 6 cases
- [Identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510) (Personnel issues): 6 cases
- [Descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040) (Aircraft): 6 cases
- [Glare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030) (Environmental issues): 4 cases
- [Water](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021020) (Environmental issues): 4 cases

## Newest cases

- [NTSB WPR25LA201](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA201), Jun 30, 2025: Lancair IV (N124GH), Alpine, WY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of visual reference during the landing approach which resulted in a collision with water.
- [NTSB CEN25LA211](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA211), Jun 18, 2025: Cessna U206 (N932DB), Falun, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: 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…
- [NTSB ANC24FA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC24FA089), Sep 7, 2024: Bell 206B (N306FW), King Salmon, AK, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to initiate the visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his spatial disorientation, failure to maintain helicopter control and subsequent…
- [NTSB WPR24LA303](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA303), Aug 30, 2024: Cessna T206H (N379ME), Big Bend-Gold Bar, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA24LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA171), Apr 9, 2024: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N331EL), South Kingstown, RI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the water while maneuvering at low altitude.
- [NTSB WPR24FA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA002), Oct 2, 2023: Piper PA-28-140 (N7153R), Moab, UT, substantial damage, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of visual reference to the horizon while departing during dark night, which resulted in the pilot experiencing spatial disorientation and subsequent controlled flight into terrain.
- [NTSB CEN23LA355](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA355), Aug 7, 2023: Cessna 172S (N6319G), Waco, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The solo student pilot’s improper descent path which resulted in a hard landing on the nose wheel and subsequent bounced landing.
- [NTSB ANC23FA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23FA056), Jul 20, 2023: Bell 206-L4 (N311MH), Wainwright, AK, destroyed, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to fly at a low altitude over a large body of water toward featureless terrain, which resulted in a loss of visual clues and controlled flight into terrain.
- [NTSB WPR23FA172](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23FA172), Apr 30, 2023: Cessna 172S (N575ND), Los Angeles, CA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: 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…
- [NTSB WPR23LA145](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA145), Apr 1, 2023: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N462BA), Elko, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude and airspeed in gusting tailwind conditions that resulted in an unrecoverable descent and impact with terrain.

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted.

Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1).

NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names.

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