Cessna 150G accident near Rhine, Georgia, September 20, 2017

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

The student pilot departed in dark night, marginal visual flight rules (MVFR) conditions from his private grass runway that was partially lit with solar lights. A witness heard the airplane depart followed by the sound of a crash, and when he arrived at the airstrip, he observed a light layer of fog over the runway. The airplane came to rest in heavily-wooded terrain adjacent to the runway. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation before impact. Data downloaded from an onboard GPS unit revealed that, after departure, the airplane made a climbing right turn to an altitude of 407 ft. It then descended to 256 ft and reached a maximum airspeed of 95 knots (kts) while continuing the right turn. The airplane then climbed in a right, 30° bank to a maximum altitude of 666 ft while slowing to an airspeed of 32 kts, which was well below the minimum stall speed. The airplane then rolled to the right and entered a rapid descent before the data ended. Conditions conducive to the development of spatial disorientation were present, including the dark night, MVFR conditions and a noninstrument-rated student pilot. Additionally, the airplane's track data, which reflects spiral-like maneuvering, and a wreckage distribution consistent with a loss-of-control, stall-type vertical descent, are consistent with the known effects of spatial disorientation. Based on this evidence, the student pilot most likely experienced spatial disorientation after takeoff, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.

The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.