Cessna R172 N2583V accident near Mertzon, Texas

Probable cause

The pilot's loss of control due to spatial disorientation.

NTSB analysis

The pilot departed on a visual flight rules cross-country flight in night conditions. He had attempted the flight the previous night but turned around because it was “too dark.” The pilot did not arrive at his destination as expected, and the accident site was subsequently located in a remote area, which would have been devoid of cultural lighting at the time of the accident. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction that would have precluded normal operation of the airframe or engine.

The pilot did not hold an instrument rating and his recent flight experience could not be determined. The pilot’s family indicated that he had not flown in “a couple of months” before the accident. The night conditions present at the time of the accident, the remote area in which the airplane was operating, and the pilot’s lack of an instrument rating were all conducive to the development of spatial disorientation. It is likely that the pilot became spatially disoriented during the flight, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN19FA155 for the full record.