[Blueser100]

Originally Posted by Kerbie

I doubt that's what JFK Jr experienced. He apparently had less than one hour of solo flying time at night in his aircraft. He probably became spatially disoriented as the visibility worsened and daylight waned. That can happen to any pilot; its onset is insidiously gradual. It's more likely to happen to pilots lacking IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) certification and experience, but it is not restricted to them.

When a pilot loses visual references outside, like the horizon, he either relies on instrument skills or instincts regarding how the airplane feels and sounds. A tiny bank of just a few degrees will slowly begin to feel like straight-and-level flight. If the bank isn't recognized and corrected, it will steepen. Eventually, the pilot can hear the engine sounds change as the bank becomes steeper and the airplane descends and gains airspeed. Inexperienced pilots may be too slow to correct or simply fail to do so. It comes on slowly, but without correction the plane will enter a graveyard spiral and then tighten into a graveyard spin. At that point, it's basically corkscrewing into the ground or water. I doubt that any pilot in that situation would think he's going up, but it can sometimes be very difficult to determine direction when there is no horizon upon which to rely.

Thanks for this information. Point being that the pilot in Kobe’s case possibly became disoriented for the reasons mentioned.