Northeastern Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Edenton, North Carolina 27932
Thursday, January 2, 1997 18:35 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During his weather briefing, the pilot was told that his destination weather was not available, and was provided weather for an airport about 10 miles north. He was briefed that low visibility due to fog prevailed. The flight departed earlier then usual because the company business manager was concerned that the weather at the destination airport was deteriorating, and if the airplane was not there earlier they might not get into the airport. At the time of the accident there was a power failure, and lights around the destination airport went out. The airplane had struck power lines and a support tower located on the approach end of runway 1 and runway 5, about 1/2 mile southwest of the airport. The airport had one NDB approach which was not authorized at night. The nearest recorded weather, about 10 miles north of the crash site, at the time of the accident was; '...ceiling 100, [visibility] 1/2 mile, fog, [temperature] 46 degrees F, dew point, 42 degrees F, winds 220 degrees at 5 [knots], altimeter 29.90 inches Hg. Witnesses reported that there was heavy fog at the airport and the visibility was below 1/4 mile.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors in this accident were: fog, the low ceiling, and the dark night.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/2/1997
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1835
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City EDENTON
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27932
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NORTHEASTERN REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EDE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 190
Airport Elevation 20
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1845 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID ECG
Elevation of weather observation facility 12
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 331
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 2 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2040
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:06PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N802TH
NTSB Number MIA97FA057
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 208B
Aircraft Series Identifier 208B
Aircraft Serial Number 208B-0179
Certified Max Gross Weight 8750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Nov 18 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 64
Airframe Hours 3520
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CESSNA FINANCE CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address POB 308
Aircraft Owner City WICHITA
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67201
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TAR HEEL AVIATION INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 278 ALBERT ELLIS AIRPORT RD
Operator City RICHLANDS
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28574
Operator Code FFJA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MQI
Departure City MANTEO
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code EDE
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --