The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board determined that spatial disorientation -- when a pilot loses the ability to sense their position relative to their surroundings -- caused the March 2025 plane crash that killed North Carolina dentist Dr. Mark Bowman and his wife Robin shortly after takeoff from Pitt-Greenville Airport.
- Cause of crash: Spatial disorientation, where the pilot cannot correctly sense body position in relation to Earth and surroundings
- Victims: Dr. Mark Bowman and his wife Robin died when their private plane crashed on March 14, 2025
- Unusual flight pattern: The aircraft climbed normally, then descended and climbed again to 1,050 feet before descending, with the pilot making no radio transmissions
- Crash sequence: The plane descended from clouds, performed a 360° roll to the right, leveled briefly, rolled right again, and crashed into a trailer and storage lot
- Trip purpose: The couple was headed to Vero Beach, Florida, and the Dominican Republic to provide dental care to underserved communities
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has revealed the cause of the private plane crash in March 2025 that led to the death of a North Carolina dentist and his wife, according to multiple news stories published on September 11.
Spatial disorientation -- when an individual cannot correctly ascertain their position in relation to their surroundings and the ground -- caused the crash that killed Dr. Mark Bowman and Robin Bowman on March 14, 2025.
The plane -- which was piloted by Bowman of Drs. Bowman, Padgett & Associates in Greenville, NC, and was carrying his wife Robin -- crashed minutes after it departed Pitt-Greenville Airport. Bowman, who owned the plane, and his wife were the only individuals on the plane.
The NTSB stated in its final report that the plane’s initial climb was normal and then started to descend. The aircraft then resumed its climb, reaching 1,050 feet before descending again. During the last leg of the flight, Bowman made no radio transmissions, according to the NTSB.
A witness told authorities that the plane descended out of a cloud near the end of the airport runway, then the aircraft did a 360° roll to the right before it leveled off for 100 feet. The plane rolled again to the right and nearly halfway through that rotation, the aircraft crashed to the ground.
An examination of the accident site and wreckage revealed that the airplane hit a trailer and storage lot. The plane's right wing tip fuel tank damaged the trailer and came to rest below a hole it had made in the flatbed trailer. The wreckage was kept for further examination, according to the report.
Bowman’s plane was headed to Vero Beach Regional Airport in Vero Beach, FL, which was the first part of a trip ultimately headed for the Dominican Republic. Bowman and Robin were traveling to the Dominican Republic to provide dental care to underserved communities and mentor dental students.
