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Selfies likely contributed to a Colorado plane crash last year

Selfies likely contributed to a Colorado plane crash last year

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A single-engine plane crash that took place in May of last year was likely caused by disorientation attributed to cell phone use and "self-photographs," according to the National Transportation Safety Board review. The Cessna 150 crash killed the pilot, 29-year-old Amritpal Singh, and a passenger.

Footage obtained from an onboard GoPro camera showed that, over the course of various flights preceding the flight during which the accident occurred, the pilot and various passengers were using the camera’s flash function during the takeoff roll, initial climb, and flight. While there was no GoPro footage of the actual accident, the NTSB says that cell phone use "distracted the pilot and contributed to the development of spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control."

As action camera usage increases, the footage returned has brought us closer and closer to these harrowing moments of life and death. And while efforts have been made across the country to stop people from driving while distracted, the NTSB's findings in this fatal crash show that distraction can be just as dangerous in the skies as it is on the roads.