# NTSB MIA02LA112: Cessna 172S, N793SP, Kill Devil Hill, NC, June 13, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 13, 2002, 13:45 local (17:45 UTC) - Place: Kill Devil Hill, NC - Coordinates: 36.018054, -75.671112 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0181&lon=-75.6711&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 6, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 54978 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA02LA112 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54978/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54978 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA112 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane after an attempted aborted landing, and while braking during the landing roll, which resulted in the airplane departing the end of the runway and impacting with a ditch. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - aborted - weather condition - turbulence - aborted landing - attempted, pilot in command - weather condition - crosswind - proper touchdown point - not obtained, pilot in command - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft - terrain condition - ditch ## Analysis According to the pilot, he was aware that the winds at the destination airport were crosswind to the active runway. After entering the traffic pattern. He noticed "light to moderate" turbulence below 1,000 feet. He turned the airplane onto final approach and noted "significant" turbulence on final, he elected to keep the flaps at 20 degrees, and the airspeed at "75-80," with a "marginal" crab to correct for the crosswind. After crossing the threshold of runway 2, he encountered a "large gust of wind" which lifted the aircraft up significantly. At this point the airplane was above the runway, the pilot applied full power, and attempted to go around. He said that the airplane "...almost felt like it was being pushed back down on the runway." He felt that he had "no choice" but to attempt to land back on the runway. The airplane landed on the runway "with force" about halfway down the runway. After touchdown he applied "heavy" brakes, and attempted to slow down the airplane. The brakes locked and the airplane departed the runway onto soft sand. The airplane continued to move until it hit some mounds of sand, and came to a "sudden stop" when it hit a ditch. The reported winds at Manteo, North Carolina, about 6 miles southeast of the crash site were reported to be from 090 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 14 knots. ## Factual narrative On June 13, 2002, about 1345 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N793SP, registered to Delstar Aviation LLC, and operated by a private individual as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed during a landing at First Flight Airport, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight plan was filed. The airplane incurred substantial damage. The private-rated pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The flight originated from New Castle County Airport, Wilmington, Delaware, the same day, about 1100. According to the pilot, he cancelled his instrument fight rules (IFR) flight plan, about 7 miles north of the airport, and proceeded to start his approach to runway 02. He stated that there was another airplane in the area towing a banner, and heard from the pilot of that airplane that the winds "were pretty much crosswind" to the active runway, but were "not bad." He stated that after doing his landing checklist he descended to 815 feet above the ground before entering the traffic pattern. He noticed "light to moderate" turbulence below 1,000 feet. He turned the airplane onto final approach and noted "significant" turbulence on final. He elected to keep the flaps at 20 degrees, and the airspeed at "75-80," with a "marginal" crab to correct for the crosswind. After crossing the threshold of runway 2, he said, "...a large gust of wind lift[ed] the aircraft up significantly." At this point he realized that he was above the runway, he applied full power, and attempted to go around. He was watching his vertical speed indicator and altimeter for a "positive rate of climb," but he said that the airplane "...almost felt like it was being pushed back down on the runway." He felt that he had "no choice" but to attempt to land back on the runway. The airplane landed on the runway "with force" about halfway down the runway. After touchdown the power was at idle, he applied "heavy" brakes, and attempted to keep the nose of the airplane in an "upward position" to slow down. The end of the runway was near, the brakes locked and the airplane was now on the soft sand beyond the runway. The airplane continued to move until it hit some mounds of sand, and came to a "sudden stop" when it hit a ditch. According to the FAA inspector's statement, the pilot attempted a balked landing "too late" along the 3,000-foot paved strip and "lost control" of the aircraft and skidded off the end of the runway. The aircraft came to rest on the other side of a ditch after passing over several mounds of sand. The reported winds at Manteo, North Carolina, about 6 miles southeast of the crash site were reported to be from 090 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 14 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N793SP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N793SP), registered now, S/N 172S8718, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S-8718 - Airframe hours: 1124 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Lorne Hale - Registered owner: Delstar Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 2002, 0 hours before - Departed: ILG, New Castle, DE - Destination: FFA, Kitty Hawk, NC - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: FFA, Kill Devil Hills, runway 02, 3,000 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review August 5, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 227 total, 12 in this make and model, 181 as pilot in command, 48 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 12 knots, gusting 14 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 29.80 inHg - Observed at: MQI, 6 nm away ## 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 20020613014339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020613014339A), Jun 13, 2002: Cessna 172S, Kill Devil Hill, NC, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was on an instrument Flight from wilmington, DE, (kilg) on 06-13-2002 for Kill Devil hills (kffa). Mr. Hale canceled his IFR Flight plan while in… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 28, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54978. 461 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 378 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445566&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Supplement S (item 2, .PDF, 47 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40169642&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20S-Master.PDF - Reports from Federal Agencies (item 3, .PDF, 35 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445567&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies-Redacted.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.