# NTSB ATL90FA108: Government Aircraft Fact N24A, N418NE, Wilmington, NC, May 4, 1990

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: May 4, 1990, 07:31 local (11:31 UTC)
- Place: Wilmington, NC
- Location: 34.2712° N, 77.9029° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at WILMINGTON INTL (ILM), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2712&lon=-77.9029&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report June 19, 1991
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 8126
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL90FA108
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/8126/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL90FA108

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE DURING A CIRCLING MANEUVER FOR LANDING.  FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: WEATHER CONDITIONS BELOW MINIMUMS FOR A CIRCLING APPROACH, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW IFR PROCEDURES.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with object, circling (ifr)
  - weather condition - low ceiling
  - weather condition - fog
  - missed approach - initiated, pilot in command
  - ifr procedure - not followed, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - maneuver - initiated, pilot in command
  - weather condition - below approach/landing minimums (contributing factor)
  - object - approach light/navaid
  - proper altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

DURING ARRIVAL, THE PLT MADE AN ILS LOCALIZER BACKCOURSE APCH TO RWY 16 & WAS CLEARED TO LAND.  HE RPRTD HE WAS INITIATING A MISSED APCH.  APRX 10 SECONDS LATER, HE RPRTD THE RWY IN SIGHT & REQUESTED A VISUAL APCH TO LAND ON RWY 34.  THE PLT WAS CLEARED TO LAND & THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO MANEUVER TO THE RIGHT (WEST OF THE RWY), THEN TURN BACK LEFT TO A FINAL APCH.  HOWEVER, IT CRASHED SHORT OF RWY 35. AN EXAM OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT THE ACFT WAS IN A NORMAL UPRIGHT ATTITUDE ON A HEADING OF 340 DEG, WHEN IT CRASHED. INITIAL IMPACT WAS WITH THE APCH LIGHTING SYSTEM SHORT OF RWY 34. A KING-AIR PLT, WHO LANDED ON RWY 16 BEFORE THE ACDNT, ESTIMATED THE CLOUD BASES WERE ABOUT 400' AGL.  MIN DSCNT ALT (MDA) FOR THE BACKCOURSE APCH WAS 460' MSL.  MDA FOR A CIRCLING APCH TO RWY 16 WAS 550' MSL.  THE ARPT ELEVATION WAS 32'.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N418NE](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N418NE-1991-02-06), registration cancelled 1991-02-06, S/N N24A89 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Government Aircraft Fact (GAF) N24A
- Registry model: [Government Aircraft Factories N24A](https://openairdocs.org/model/government-aircraft-factories-n24a) (registry code 3880104) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: N24-89
- Airframe hours: 3590
- Engines: ALLISON 250-B17C 420 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Dolphin Aviation, doing business as Tar Heel Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: AAIP, April 14, 1990, 20 hours before
- Departed: RDU, RALEIGH, NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: ILM, New Hanover, runway 34, 7,001 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 26; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 2,200 total, 99 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 800 ft broken
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at: ILM

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19900504013869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900504013869A), May 4, 1990: Govt N24A, Wilmington, NC, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Began missed approach,saw end of runway. Tried to turn and land opposite direction,lost control,impacted inverted.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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