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.

It was dark when the plane crashed ... hours flying his aircraft and 1,777.8 hours of experience flying a helicopter in the South Dakota Army Reserve National Guard. Larsen did not use any ...

North Dakota state Sen. Doug Larsen, his wife and their two young sons died when the small plane Larsen was piloting ... nearly 45 hours of previous night flying experience, investigators said.