NTSB CAROL · Event
Event ATL89FA065
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, AT ABOUT THE TIME HE WAS CHANGING RADIO FREQUENCIES DURING AN IFR APPROACH.
Factual narrative
DRG ARRIVAL, THE FLT WAS VCTRD FOR AN ILS RWY 32 APCH. AS THE ARRIVAL CONTD, THE ATC CTLR PROVIDED THE LATEST INFO ON CLOUD TOPS & IN-CLOUD ICING. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED, THEN INQUIRED ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE 'LOCATOR.' THE CTLR ADZD THAT ALL COMPONENTS OF THE ILS, INCLUDING THE OUTER MARKER LOCATOR, WERE MONITORING NML. FOUR MI FM THE OUTER MARKER/FAF, THEPLT WAS GIVEN A FINAL VECTOR, WAS CLRD FOR THE APCH & WAS CLRD TO CIRCLE & LND ON RWY 23. HE ACKNOWLEDGED, THEN RADIO & RADAR CTC WITH THE ACFT WERE LOST. THE ACFT CRASHED APRX 2 MI SE OF THE FAF, WHILE IN A STEEP DSCNT ON A HDG OF 140 DEG.NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FND, THOUGH IT WAS EXTENSIVELY DMGD. ABT 3 WKS AFTER A BOATING ACDNT ON 7/2/88, THE PLT WAS ADMITTED TO A HOSPITAL & TREATED FOR A STROKE, BUT AN AUTOPSY & TOX CHECKS FAILED TO REVEALANY COND WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE PLT FM PERFORMING HIS DUTIES. AD 88-13-01, CONCERNING ACFT EQUIPPED WITH M-4C/D AUTOPLTS, WAS NOT COMPLIED WITH. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1989_ATL89FA065.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (icing, spatial disorientation). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Technical Memorandum (TM)
Autogenic-Feedback Training Exercise (AFTE) Mitigates the Effects of Spatial Disorientation to Simulated Orion Spacecraft Re-Entry: Individual Differences
NASA has identified a potential risk of spatial disorientation to future astronauts during re-entry of the proposed Orion spacecraft.
- NASA NTRS 2026 · Contractor Report (CR)
Icing Physics Studies Using the 3D SIDRM Test Article: 2023 Icing Tests Analysis
In-flight icing is an important safety issue and is a factor that affects aircraft design and performance. Newer regulations are driving a need for improvements in airframe and engine icing simulation…
- arXiv 2025 · arXiv preprint
Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning for UAV-Assisted 5G Network Slicing: A Comparative Study of MAPPO, MADDPG, and MADQN
The growing demand for robust, scalable wireless networks in the 5G-and-beyond era has led to the deployment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as mobile base stations to enhance coverage in dense urb…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2025 · Journal article (JAAER)
A Mathematical Model on the Temporal Dynamics of Aviation Competitive Pricing
This study investigates the competitive dynamics of airport pricing using U.S. airport data to validate the findings. It employs linear and nonlinear ordinary differential equation models to analyze t…
- NASA NTRS 2025 · Presentation
NASA Icing Update – March 2025
This NASA Icing Update was prepared for presentation to the SAE International AC-9C Inflight Icing Technology Committee. This update includes the following topics: planned Rotational Icing Scaling tes…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2025 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Design, Implementation, and Testing of Spatial Disorientation Scenarios in a Modified Hexapod Motion Simulator
Abstract Investigations into aviation accidents aim to identify root causes and enhance safety. Despite advancements in safety measures, technology, and education, general aviation accident rates rema…
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