this happened to me in version 0.18.2. i just got finished with a atmospheric rocket mission and had a kerbal cut the parachute and eva. the crew module splashed down and dissapeared but the kerbal was fine. then all hell broke loose, firstly he got up slightly above the water and the game freaked out.
every gauge was black, except the altitude gauge which was rapidly changing numbers. there was nothing visible in the playspace, and then the game froze.