North Dakota lawmaker became disoriented by darkness before plane crash that killed 4
- Rep. Doug Larsen, a North Dakota state senator, died in a plane crash due to spatial disorientation while piloting the aircraft at night on October 1, 2023, according to the National Transportation Safety Board report.
- The crash killed Larsen, his wife, Amy, and their two sons when the plane hit a hill shortly after takeoff near Moab, Utah.
- A witness stated that Larsen turned off the airplane landing light immediately after takeoff, which contributed to the accident due to poor visual references.
- Larsen, who received training and had experience flying at night, was unable to detect his airplane's descent, resulting in the crash into rocky terrain.
17 Articles
17 Articles
NTSB: Pilot error caused airplane crash that killed 4
The pilot who perished along with three family members in a nighttime airplane crash near Canyonlands Regional Airport on Oct. 1, 2023, failed to use runway lights or monitor his instrument panel, which likely caused “spatial disorientation.”
NTSB: Pilot error caused airplane crash that killed 4 - The Times-Independent
The pilot who perished along with three family members in a nighttime airplane crash near Canyonlands Regional Airport on Oct. 1, 2023, failed to use runway lights or monitor his instrument panel, which likely caused “spatial disorientation.” Sheriff Jamison Wiggins holds a press conference at Canyonlands Regional Airport following a plane crash that killed four people in October 2023. File photo The airplane’s landing gear struck a hill and tra…
Final report released on 2023 plane crash that killed Mandan family
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A deadly 2023 Utah plane crash was likely caused by the pilot, a North Dakota lawmaker, becoming disoriented while taking off at night without runway lights, federal aviation investigators said. North Dakota state Sen. Doug Larsen, his wife and their two young sons died when the small plane Larsen was piloting crashed near the desert recreation town of Moab, Utah, after a refueling stop. They were on their way home after vi…
NTSB’s Final Report Reveals Likely Cause of Plane Crash That Killed North Dakota Lawmaker
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued its final report on the death of a North Dakota state senator who died in a plane crash in Moab, Utah, with his family on Oct. 1, 2023. The report suggested that Rep. Doug Larsen, who formerly represented District 34 as a Republican, who was piloting the plane, experienced spatial disorientation while departing at 8:23 p.m. from Utah’s Canyonlands Regional Airport into an area with low ambie…

Report: Darkness, 'disorientation' likely caused crash that killed ND pilot Sen. Doug Larsen, family members
MANDAN, N.D. — New information has emerged in the death of former North Dakota state Sen. Doug Larsen, R-Mandan. Larsen, 47, was killed in a private plane crash on Oct. 1, 2023, alongside his wife Amy and their two young sons. The family was returning from a gathering in Arizona when their single-engine plane crashed near Moab, Utah. The couple's third son was not on the plane. The recently released Aviation Investigation Report shows that Lars…
NTSB issues final report on 2023 fatal plane crash that killed North Dakota legislator, family members
(MOAB, UTAH) – The National Transportation Safety Board says the investigation into a fatal 2023 plane crash near Moab, Utah, is complete. The plane killed North Dakota legislator Doug Larsen, his wife, Amy, and their two sons. “The pilot’s loss of visual reference to the horizon while departing during dark night, which resulted in the pilot experiencing spatial disorientation and subsequent controlled flight into terrain,” the NTSB reported as …
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