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Geographic disorient (lost)

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NTSB finding · Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion

All 27 cases25 in the probable cause
Cases
27
In the probable cause
25 (93%)
Fatal cases
7
NTSB code
02022030

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008. Earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes, so they aren’t counted here.

When and where

In green, cases where NTSB made it part of the probable cause; in gray, a factor or other finding. Findings are coded with the final report, often a year or more after the event, so the latest years are incomplete.

Cases per year

2008In the probable causeFactor only2026

Where

Open the map
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT year(c.\"eventDate\") AS year, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases,
    count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) FILTER (WHERE f.\"inProbableCause\") AS in_probable_cause
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c ON c.\"mKey\" = f.case_mkey
  WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '02022030') AND c.\"eventDate\" >= DATE '2000-01-01'
  GROUP BY 1
  ORDER BY 1"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

In the same cases

Defining events
Aircraft models

Aircraft matched to the registry by N-number and date.

Other findings
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "WITH matched AS (SELECT DISTINCT case_mkey, aircrafts_position FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' WHERE starts_with(\"findingCode\", '02022030'))
  SELECT * FROM (
  SELECT 'Defining event' AS kind, e.\"tier2Number\" AS code, max(e.\"eventTier2Name\") AS name, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e ON e.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND e.aircrafts_position = f.aircrafts_position AND e.\"isDefiningEvent\"
  WHERE e.\"tier2Number\" <> ''
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Aircraft model', a.aircraft_model_code, any_value(concat_ws(' ', m.manufacturer, m.model)), count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey)
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND a.position = f.aircrafts_position
  LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/faa_aircraft_model.parquet' m ON m.code = a.aircraft_model_code
  WHERE a.aircraft_model_code IS NOT NULL
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Other finding', left(g.\"findingCode\", 8), max(g.\"tier4Name\"), count(DISTINCT g.case_mkey)
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' g
  WHERE g.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM matched) AND NOT starts_with(g.\"findingCode\", '02022030') AND g.\"findingCode\" GLOB '[0-9][0-9]*'
  GROUP BY ALL
  )
  QUALIFY row_number() OVER (PARTITION BY kind ORDER BY cases DESC) <= 10
  ORDER BY kind, cases DESC"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

Newest cases · 27

NTSB ERA25LA199Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 182A · Ocala, FLThe pilot’s decision to depart on the flight with known electrical issues and his subsequent loss of situational awareness (geographic position), which resulted in his eventual decision to perform an off-airport landing.May 8, 2025 · N174A · Substantial damageNTSB ERA22LA326Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportSchweizer SGS 2-33A · Waynesville, OHThe pilot’s loss of situational awareness (geographic position), which resulted in his inability to locate the intended landing runway and his decision to perform an off-airport landing.Jul 10, 2022 · N3616Q · Substantial damageNTSB CEN21LA156Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCessna 170 · Poplar Bluff, MOThe pilot’s decision to make a precautionary landing in a field that contained soft terrain, which resulted in the airplane nosing over. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to fly without a printed VFR sectional chart to identify the…Mar 9, 2021 · N9515A · Substantial damageNTSB ERA20CA300Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportCessna 182 · Millington, MDThe pilot’s misidentification of a corn field for the destination airport’s runway, and a subsequent aerodynamic stall at low altitude while attempting to land.Aug 30, 2020 · N3707U · Substantial damageNTSB ANC19FA029Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportMaule M6 · Moose Pass, AKThe pilot's geographic disorientation and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering to avoid mountainous terrain, resulting in an aerodynamic stall.Jun 29, 2019 · N56512 · Substantial damageNTSB GAA18CA095Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportCessna 150 · Nampa, IDThe pilot’s geographic disoriention during a night flight, which resulted in an off-airport landing.Jan 2, 2018 · N3229V · Substantial damageNTSB GAA18CA073Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportBrock Steiner Sport Copter Vortex · Spanish Fork, UTThe pilot’s failure to maintain situational and geographic awareness during the flight, which resulted in him becoming lost and exhausting the gyroplane’s fuel.Dec 8, 2017 · N395SC · Substantial damageNTSB GAA18CA069Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportWeaver David A Pulsar 912XP · Plato Center, ILThe pilot’s decision to continue to land without visual reference to the airport in low light conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inability to activate the private airport’s pilot-controlled lighting system due to its configuration.Dec 2, 2017 · N912GR · Substantial damageNTSB CEN18LA014Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportDiamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 · Gustavus, OHThe pilot’s geographic disorientation while maneuvering in the airport traffic pattern in dark night conditions, which resulted in the airplane descending below a normal approach path and a collision with trees. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's…Oct 17, 2017 · N105MK · Substantial damageNTSB WPR17FA101Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportIcon A5 · Lake Berryessa, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's mistaken entry into a canyon surrounded by steep rising terrain while at a low altitude for reasons that could not be…May 8, 2017 · N184BA · Substantial damage
See all 27 cases
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "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.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT f.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '02022030'))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.