# Airport lighting

- Type: NTSB finding subsection
- Path: [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03) › [Operating environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0301) › [Airport facilities/design](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030170) › Airport lighting
- NTSB code: 03017010
- Cases: 8
- In the probable cause: 5
- Fatal cases: 1
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017010/cases.md
- Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017010/cases.md?cause=1
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017010

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

- 2008: 0 / 1
- 2009: 0 / 1
- 2016: 1 / 2
- 2017: 1 / 1
- 2019: 1 / 1
- 2022: 1 / 1
- 2025: 1 / 1

## Defining events in these cases

- [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 2 cases
- [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 2 cases
- [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 1 cases
- [Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300): 1 cases
- [Wrong surface or wrong airport](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284): 1 cases
- [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 1 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Socata TB 10](https://openairdocs.org/model/socata-tb-10): 1 cases
- [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta): 1 cases
- [Cirrus Design SR22T](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22t): 1 cases
- [Cessna 177B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177b): 1 cases
- [Cessna 208B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208b): 1 cases
- [Cessna T210N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t210n): 1 cases
- [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s): 1 cases
- [Bombardier DHC-8-402](https://openairdocs.org/model/bombardier-dhc-8-402): 1 cases

## Other findings in the same cases

- [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 4 cases
- [Dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020) (Environmental issues): 3 cases
- [Identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510) (Personnel issues): 2 cases
- [Tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020) (Environmental issues): 1 cases
- [Runway markings/signage](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017030) (Environmental issues): 1 cases
- [Runway lighting](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017015) (Environmental issues): 1 cases
- [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 1 cases
- [Lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030) (Personnel issues): 1 cases
- [Delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025) (Personnel issues): 1 cases
- [Monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545) (Personnel issues): 1 cases

## Newest cases

- [NTSB ERA26LA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA015), Oct 10, 2025: Socata TB 10 (N28170), New Milford, CT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to depart from an unlit turf runway at night, which resulted in a loss of directional control, and subsequent runway excursion.
- [NTSB ERA23LA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA094), Dec 26, 2022: Cessna 177 (N177D), Franklin, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees during the initial climb following an aborted precautionary landing. Contributing to the outcome were the inoperative runway lights, which reduced…
- [NTSB ERA19LA144](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA144), Apr 7, 2019: Robinson R22 (N4047H), Clover, VA, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in a collision with trees. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to takeoff at night without adequate runway lighting.
- [NTSB DCA18IA081](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA18IA081), Dec 30, 2017: Bombardier DHC 8 402 (N412QX), Pullman, WA, incident, no damage. Probable cause: the flight crew's misidentification of the taxiway as the landing runway due to the failure of the runway lighting that caused only the taxiway lights to be illuminated.
- [NTSB GAA16CA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA251), Apr 21, 2016: Cirrus SR22 (N27ML), Church Hill, MD, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to land on an unlighted grass airstrip at night, resulting in landing long, a loss of directional control, and collapsed landing gear producing substantial damage to the landing…
- [NTSB GAA16CA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA109), Jan 15, 2016: Cessna CE-208 (N104AN), Hooper Bay, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to identify the runway, resulting in the airplane touching down a few feet to the right of the runway.
- [NTSB CEN09FA601](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09FA601), Sep 24, 2009: Cessna T210 (N9734Y), Hilltop Lakes, TX, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The loss of control of the airplane in dark night light conditions due to the pilot’s spatial disorientation.
- [NTSB NYC08CA230](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA230), Jun 25, 2008: Cessna 172 SP (N3504X), Stevensville, MD, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor's delayed decision to go around.

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.

---
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.