Person County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Roxboro, North Carolina 27573
Wednesday, February 21, 1990 13:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FOLLOWING A LOCAL FLIGHT THE ENGINE SPUTTERED & QUIT ON THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE LANDING PATTERN. A FORCED LANDING IN SOFT TERRAIN RESULTED IN THE COLLAPSE OF THE NOSE GEAR & A NOSE OVER. THE PILOT SAID HE TOOK OFF WITH TEN GAL OF FUEL & FLEW ABOUT 50 MINUTES. FIRE PERSONNEL SAW FUEL POURING FROM THE VENTS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD REFUELED ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR & FOUND WATER IN THE FUEL AFTERWARDS, WHICH HE DRAINED. NO WATER WAS FOUND DURING HIS PRE FLIGHT NOR IN THE GASCOLATOR AFTER THE ACCIDENT. HOWEVER, THE SPARK PLUGS HAD NO CARBON DEPOSITS ON THE ELECTRODES. THE ENGINE WAS MOUNTED ON A TEST STAND FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT & OPERATED NORMALLY. ACCORDING TO THE ICING PROBABILITY CURVES, WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE THE BEFORE LANDING CHECKLIST WHICH REQUIRES THE APPLICATION OF CARBURETOR HEAT. FACTORS WERE SOFT TERRAIN AT ACCIDENT SITE, AND CONDITION FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/21/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1350
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ROXBORO
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27573
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PERSON COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TDF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 609
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 165
Weather Observation Facility ID RDU
Elevation of weather observation facility 437
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1374
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 21 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42685
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6845G
NTSB Number ATL90LA066
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150L
Aircraft Series Identifier 150L
Aircraft Serial Number 15072345
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT O. WHITFIELD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 141
Operator City HURDLE MILLS
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27541
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code TDF
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 6
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --