# Bright light - Type: NTSB finding subsection - Path: [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03) › [Conditions/weather/phenomena](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0303) › [Light condition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030360) › Bright light - NTSB code: 03036010 - Cases: 28 - In the probable cause: 14 - Fatal cases: 6 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036010/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036010/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036010 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 2 / 2 - 2009: 0 / 1 - 2010: 2 / 3 - 2011: 0 / 3 - 2012: 1 / 2 - 2013: 2 / 3 - 2014: 0 / 2 - 2015: 2 / 2 - 2016: 1 / 2 - 2017: 0 / 1 - 2018: 0 / 1 - 2019: 1 / 1 - 2021: 2 / 2 - 2023: 0 / 1 - 2024: 1 / 1 - 2025: 0 / 1 ## Defining events in these cases - [Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220): 5 cases - [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 5 cases - [Loss of visual reference](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/402): 3 cases - [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 3 cases - [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 2 cases - [Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370): 2 cases - [Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250): 2 cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 2 cases - [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 1 cases - [Runway incursion veh/AC/person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/320): 1 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Air Tractor AT-502B](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502b): 2 cases - [Schneider Richard J ALASKAN BUSHMASTER](https://openairdocs.org/model/schneider-richard-j-alaskan-bushmaster): 1 cases - [Eurocopter AS 350 B3](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b3): 1 cases - [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30): 1 cases - [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161): 1 cases - [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150): 1 cases - [Piper PA-12](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12): 1 cases - [Piper J3F-50](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3f-50): 1 cases - [North American T-28B](https://openairdocs.org/model/north-american-t-28b): 1 cases - [Mooney M20F](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20f): 1 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 8 cases - [Wire](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032) (Environmental issues): 7 cases - [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 5 cases - [Glare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030) (Environmental issues): 3 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 3 cases - [Incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015) (Personnel issues): 3 cases - [Monitoring other aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540) (Personnel issues): 3 cases - [Descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040) (Aircraft): 3 cases - [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 3 cases - [Dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020) (Environmental issues): 2 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 CEN25LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA016), Oct 10, 2024: Piper PA-30 (N7577Y), Springfield, MO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s inability to confirm landing gear position before landing due to the sun glare which resulted in gear up landing. Contributing to the accident was an undetected tripped… - [NTSB WPR23LA200](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA200), May 24, 2023: Eurocopter AS 350 B3 (N791AM), San Diego, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain altitude during a hover taxi due to distraction resulting from the unanticipated activation of strobing lights while using night vision googles. - [NTSB WPR22FA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA011), Oct 15, 2021: Cessna 175 (N7584M), Reserve, NM, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s reduced forward visibility due to the sun. - [NTSB CEN21LA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA123), Feb 3, 2021: Piper J3F-50 (N26811), Weidman, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain during a low approach over a snow-covered runway. Contributing to the accident was the loss of depth perception due to the bright sunlight and… - [NTSB WPR19FA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19FA095), Mar 14, 2019: North American T28 (N5440F), Compton, CA, minor damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the T-28 pilot to see and avoid the Cessna while landing with reduced visibility due to sun glare, which resulted in a collision on the runway. Contributing to the accident was his… - [NTSB CEN18LA226](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA226), Jun 15, 2018: Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G 164B (N6672Q), Arrey, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a hillside during an agricultural application flight while facing the sun. - [NTSB GAA17CA474](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA474), Jul 8, 2017: Cessna 210 (N9664X), Bettles, AK, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate glidepath during the approach to the runway over glassy water and in glaring sun conditions. - [NTSB GAA16CA451](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA451), Aug 25, 2016: Ayres S 2R (N3003N), Cordele, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during an agricultural application flight while flying toward the sun. - [NTSB WPR16FA148](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA148), Jul 23, 2016: Air Tractor AT 502B (N502WC), Zamora, CA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of both pilots to maintain an adequate visual lookout, which resulted in a midair collision. Also causal was the other pilot's use of two sedating antihistamines and two impairing… 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.