NTSB CAROL · Event
Event FTW92FA024
Registry · N3GE
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
AB SPORTINE AVIACIJA GENESIS 2
Year of manufacture
2000
Engine
NONE NONE
Seats / Engines
1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20160816
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A31B3B
Registrant of record
WAGGONER DOUG
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CONTINUE A NORMAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT CONDITION.
Factual narrative
THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED 75 FT HIGH TREES ABOUT 1/2 MI FROM THE END OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY IN A RIGHT WING LOW, NOSE LEVEL ATTITUDE. FOLLOWING INITIAL IMPACT, THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED 850 FT THRU THE TREES. THE PILOT HAD EXECUTED THE TAKEOFF IN DARK NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS INTO AN AREA THAT WAS DEVOID OF ANY GROUND LIGHTS. THE AIRPORT MANAGER TOOK OFF SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND SPOTTED THE FIRE. HE REPORTED THE AREA SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT WAS VERY DARK DUE TO LACK OF GROUND LIGHTS AND THE CLOUDS OVERHEAD. AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT WHO HAD FLOWN WITH THE ACCIDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD A HABIT OF MAKING FLAT DEPARTURES, SETTLING IN HIS TURNS AND REDUCING POWER SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF. ONE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE 5 FT 7 INCH, 267 POUND PILOT HAD A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE CONTROL YOKE AND HIS STOMACH AND THAT HIS STOMACH CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE YOKE EVERY TIME HE LEANED FORWARD TO TUNE THE RADIOS OR RESET THE ENGINE POWER. NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1991_FTW92FA024.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 (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.
- 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…
- AOPA Air Safety Institute 2022 · Safety advisor
Safety Advisor: Spatial Disorientation
Safety advisor on the perceptual illusions that cause spatial disorientation: the leans, graveyard spiral, somatogravic and somatogyral illusions, false horizon, and Coriolis.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper
Evaluation of Low Cost, User-Centered Alerting Devices for the Mitigation of Flight Crew Spatial Disorientation
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is conducting research into technologies which have the potential to reduce flight crew Spatial Disorientation (SD).
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Presentation
Pre-Flight Training of Autonomic Responses for Mitigating the Effects of Spatial Disorientation During Spaceflight
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has identified a potential risk of spatial disorientation, motion sickness, and degraded performance to astronauts during re-entry and landing …
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Other
The Role of Spatial Disorientation in Fatal General Aviation Accidents
In-flight Spatial Disorientation (SD) in pilots is a serious threat to aviation safety. Indeed, SD may play a much larger role in aviation accidents than the approximate 6-8% reported by the National …
- 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.
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