Report: Disorientation Likely Cause of Fatal Plane Crash that Killed Gwen Shamblin Lara and Six Others
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its final report on the fatal plane crash that killed weight-loss guru Gwen Shamblin Lara, her husband actor Joe Lara, and six others on March 29, 2021. The report suggests that the cause of the crash was likely due to Joe Lara’s disorientation in heavy clouds, which led to a type of spatial disorientation called somatogravic illusion.
Joe Lara, who was rated to fly with instruments only, was flying a Cessna C501 minutes after takeoff from an airport just outside Nashville when the plane made a series of maneuvers, including heading changes, climbs, and descents, before entering a steep, descending left turn that resulted in the plane crashing into Percy Priest Lake.
According to the NTSB report, the maneuvering is consistent with somatogravic illusion, which likely caused Joe Lara to perceive that the airplane was pitching up even though it was actually in a continuous descent. The report also noted that local flight instructor William Lardent, who had flown with Lara several times in the Cessna that crashed, told investigators that Lara struggled when forced to rely on instruments in low visibility and while using the plane’s autopilot.
Lardent said Lara was a safe pilot but had trouble with multitasking and with situational awareness. “Mr. Lara could not visualize in his mind where the airplane was in time/space unless he saw it on his iPad,” according to an NTSB account of the interview.
The post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed no obvious mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft, and investigators believe it is unlikely that any medical condition of the pilot or co-pilot were a factor in the crash.
Gwen Shamblin Lara founded the Remnant Fellowship Church in Brentwood in 1999 and wrote a faith-based weight loss book. The other victims of the crash were identified by Rutherford County officials as Brandon Hannah, David L. Martin, Jennifer J. Martin, Jessica Walters, and Jonathan Walters. They, along with the Laras, were all from nearby Brentwood and had planned to travel to Palm Beach.
The NTSB report serves as a reminder of the importance of pilot training and situational awareness, particularly in low visibility conditions. It also highlights the dangers of spatial disorientation and the need for pilots to recognize and respond to it appropriately.
