# Ceiling/visibility/precip, general

- Type: NTSB finding subsection
- Path: [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03) › [Conditions/weather/phenomena](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0303) › [Ceiling/visibility/precip](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030350) › Ceiling/visibility/precip, general
- NTSB code: 03035000
- Cases: 65
- In the probable cause: 43
- Fatal cases: 51
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035000/cases.md
- Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035000/cases.md?cause=1
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035000

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

- 2008: 1 / 2
- 2009: 0 / 3
- 2010: 5 / 7
- 2011: 1 / 6
- 2012: 4 / 5
- 2013: 4 / 6
- 2014: 2 / 4
- 2015: 4 / 5
- 2016: 8 / 10
- 2017: 3 / 4
- 2018: 4 / 4
- 2020: 1 / 1
- 2021: 2 / 2
- 2022: 2 / 3
- 2023: 2 / 2
- 2025: 0 / 1

## Defining events in these cases

- [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 25 cases
- [VFR encounter with IMC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401): 11 cases
- [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 10 cases
- [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 2 cases
- [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 2 cases
- [Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341): 2 cases
- [Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241): 2 cases
- [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 2 cases
- [Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200): 2 cases
- [Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000): 2 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22): 3 cases
- [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30): 2 cases
- [Beech A36](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36): 2 cases
- [Eurocopter AS 350 B2](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b2): 1 cases
- [Quest KODIAK 100](https://openairdocs.org/model/quest-kodiak-100): 1 cases
- [Raytheon 58](https://openairdocs.org/model/raytheon-58): 1 cases
- [Raytheon A36](https://openairdocs.org/model/raytheon-a36): 1 cases
- [Piper PA46-500TP](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa46-500tp): 1 cases
- [Piper PA 46-350P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-350p): 1 cases
- [New Piper PA-46-500TP](https://openairdocs.org/model/new-piper-pa-46-500tp): 1 cases

## Other findings in the same cases

- [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 34 cases
- [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 33 cases
- [Performance/control parameters, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000) (Aircraft): 23 cases
- [Spatial disorientation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022025) (Personnel issues): 20 cases
- [Weather planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061020) (Personnel issues): 9 cases
- [Dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020) (Environmental issues): 7 cases
- [Recent instrument experience](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031050) (Personnel issues): 6 cases
- [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 6 cases
- [Not determined, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000) (Not determined): 4 cases
- [Lack of communication](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063510) (Personnel issues): 4 cases

## Newest cases

- [NTSB CEN26LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA040), Nov 8, 2025: Cessna 180K (N2697K), Lakeview, AR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue an approach that resulted in a long landing and inability to stop prior to the end of the runway. Contributing to the accident were the light conditions and a road…
- [NTSB CEN23FA283](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA283), Jul 7, 2023: Beech A36 (N15RP), Rayville, LA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control during the approach to the destination airport and subsequent impact with terrain.
- [NTSB CEN23FA187](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA187), May 15, 2023: Cessna 172 (N2946U), Chambers, NE, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions at night and his failure to maintain adequate altitude, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
- [NTSB ERA22FA405](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA405), Sep 10, 2022: Beech 95-B55 (N3670D), Hartwell, GA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of airplane control following a perceived undetermined problem with the airplane’s gyroscopic instrumentation.
- [NTSB WPR22FA151](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA151), Apr 13, 2022: Cessna 208B (N928JP), Heyburn, ID, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain altitude during an instrument approach, which resulted in a descent below the approach path and impact with a vent stack. Also causal was the failure of the processing…
- [NTSB CEN22FA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA096), Jan 9, 2022: Beech 58 (N585CK), Defiance, MO, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of airplane control while flying in night instrument conditions due to spatial disorientation and the flight crew’s inability to recover from an unusual airplane attitude.
- [NTSB CEN21FA238](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21FA238), May 28, 2021: Lancair Evolution (N515DL), McDermott, OH, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to recognize and avoid airframe icing conditions, which resulted in a loss of airplane performance and a subsequent loss of control and in-flight break-up.
- [NTSB CEN21FA198](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21FA198), Apr 23, 2021: Piper PA-46-310P (N461DK), Danville, AR, substantial damage, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper decision to continue flight in an area of moderate-to-heavy icing conditions, which resulted in exceedance of the airplane’s anti-icing system capabilities, a degradation of…
- [NTSB ERA20FA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20FA088), Jan 27, 2020: Aeropro CZ A220 (N214K), Grafton, WV, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue a visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions and conditions favorable for airframe icing, which resulted in a loss of control of the…
- [NTSB CEN18FA168](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18FA168), May 12, 2018: Cirrus Design SR22 (N507TX), Lone Tree, CO, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of control due to spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's self-induced pressure to fly the airplane at night in marginal weather conditions.

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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