# NTSB investigations: Bright light

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB CEN26LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA040.md): Cessna 180K · Lakeview, AR · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Nov 8, 2025 · N2697K · Substantial damage
  > 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 with vehicles on it immediately adjacent to the end of the…
- [NTSB CEN25LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA016.md): Piper PA-30 · Springfield, MO · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 10, 2024 · N7577Y · Substantial damage
  > 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 circuit breaker for the landing gear and the inoperative gear…
- [NTSB WPR23LA200](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA200.md): Eurocopter AS 350 B3 · San Diego, CA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · May 24, 2023 · N791AM · Substantial damage
  > 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.md): Cessna 175 · Reserve, NM · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Oct 15, 2021 · N7584M · Substantial damage
  > 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.md): Piper J3F-50 · Weidman, MI · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Feb 3, 2021 · N26811 · Substantial damage
  > 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 snow.
- [NTSB WPR19FA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19FA095.md): North American T28 · Compton, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Mar 14, 2019 · N5440F · 2 aircraft · Minor damage
  > 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 failure to use the airport's common traffic advisory frequency…
- [NTSB CEN18LA226](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA226.md): Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G 164B · Arrey, NM · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 15, 2018 · N6672Q · Substantial damage
  > 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.md): Cessna 210 · Bettles, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 8, 2017 · N9664X · Destroyed
  > 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.md): Ayres S 2R · Cordele, GA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 25, 2016 · N3003N · Substantial damage
  > 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.md): Air Tractor AT 502B · Zamora, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 23, 2016 · N502WC · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > 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 medication and the effect of sun glare on his visual lookout, which…
- [NTSB ANC15FA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15FA009.md): Piper PA 18 · Wasilla, AK · Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 31, 2015 · N82735 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > Both pilots’ inadequate visual lookout and failure to see and avoid each other while in level cruise flight, which resulted in a midair collision. Contributing to the accident was the obscuration of the other pilot’s visibility due to sun glare.
- [NTSB WPR15CA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15CA097.md): Schneider Richard J Alaskan Bushmaster · Newburg, OR · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jan 29, 2015 · N36NC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll into sunlight, which restricted his visibility.
- [NTSB CEN15CA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15CA095.md): Cessna 152 · Mount Pleasant, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Dec 8, 2014 · N787PB · Destroyed
  > The pilot's decision to maneuver the airplane at low altitude resulting in the airplane impacting power lines.
- [NTSB CEN15FA030](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15FA030.md): Mooney M20 · Boulder, CO · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 27, 2014 · N3539X · Substantial damage
  > The loss of airplane control for reasons that could not be determined by the postaccident examination, which was limited due to impact damage and postcrash fire.
- [NTSB CEN13LA424](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA424.md): Air Tractor AT-802A · Huntingburg, IN · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 19, 2013 · N86BM · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a power line during an aerial application maneuver. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to identify potential obstructions in the area before beginning low-altitude maneuvers.
- [NTSB WPR13FA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA119.md): Bell 206B · Acton, CA · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 10, 2013 · N59518 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to conduct a flight in dark night conditions with an illuminated cockpit light that degraded his visibility and his ability to identify and arrest the helicopter's descent while maneuvering, which resulted in controlled flight into…
- [NTSB ERA13CA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA122.md): Amirkhanian Shahram Charl Commander · Westminster, MD · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jan 29, 2013 · N393GX · Substantial damage
  > Impact with power lines due to the pilot’s obscured vision due to the low angle of the sun, which prevented the pilot from seeing the lines.
- [NTSB WPR12LA301](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA301.md): Cessna A188B · Cheyenne, WY · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 10, 2012 · N4831R · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with a power line. Contributing to the accident was the sun's glare.
- [NTSB ANC12CA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12CA052.md): Piper PA-18 · Willow, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 16, 2012 · N1203A · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to land on an unsuitable landing surface into bright sunlight, which resulted in a loss of control.
- [NTSB ERA11IA436](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11IA436.md): Bell 206 · Relience, TN · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Aug 1, 2011 · N484AE · Minor damage
  > Inadvertent contact with wires due to the lack of visual cues regarding their presence and the low angle of the sun, which was directly in the takeoff path.
- [NTSB WPR11CA252](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11CA252.md): Air Tractor AT-502B · Odessa, WA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 7, 2011 · N6072X · 2 aircraft · Minor damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the other aircraft.
- [NTSB ANC11CA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC11CA025.md): Piper PA-12 · Delta Junction, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 10, 2011 · N3613M · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's misjudged altitude while landing in bright sunlight on an airstrip surrounded by snow, resulting in an undershoot and a nose over.
- [NTSB CEN10CA539](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA539.md): Cessna A185F · Rushville, NE · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 13, 2010 · N714AL · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the loss of visual reference due to the sun glare.
- [NTSB CEN10CA395](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA395.md): Bell OH-58A · Roswell, NM · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 10, 2010 · N415NS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from transmission wires.
- [NTSB CEN10FA299](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10FA299.md): Beech G35 · Marble, CO · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 6, 2010 · N887M · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s miscalculation of the airplane's turn radius and climb capabilities at high altitude, resulting in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of mountain flying experience and restricted visibility due to the…
- [NTSB WPR09CA443](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA443.md): Cessna 305A · Helena, MT · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 11, 2009 · N119WW · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper landing flare and recovery from a bounced landing.
- [NTSB CEN09CA004](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA004.md): Cessna 182P · Mount Vernon, MO · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 8, 2008 · N21544 · Destroyed
  > The pilot failed to maintain a proper landing aim point. Contributing to the accident were the setting sun and the uneven terrain approaching the runway.
- [NTSB CHI08CA285](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08CA285.md): Piper PA-28-161 · Lakeville, MN · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 18, 2008 · N4349K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's lack of clearance from the approach lights and the distraction of those bright approach lights during his night approach.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
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", '03036010'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036010/cases

---
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.