MKC89FA099
1989-04-27 · AINSWORTH, Nebraska, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed
Airport ANW
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE PILOT CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO IFR CONDITIONS AND THE LOSS OF AICRAFT CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE CLOUD CONDITIONS AND FOG.
Factual narrative
THE PILOT TOOK OFF INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AFTER FILING A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) FLIGHT PLAN. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL FLIGHT CONDITIONS. THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN AN EXTREME NOSE LOW ATTITUDE IN AN OPEN FIELD NEAR THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1989_MKC89FA099.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (spatial disorientation). All research papers
- 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.