Beaufort-Morehead City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Beaufort, North Carolina 28516
Sunday, March 18, 1990 2:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT CONFESSED TO POLICE THAT HE BECAME INTOXICATED AND FLEW THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION. HE STATED THAT AFTER RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT TO LAND, HE DOVE THE AIRPLANE AT THE GROUND TO COMMIT SUICIDE. BEFORE IMPACT, HE TRIED TO ARREST THE DESCENT BY PULLING AFT ON THE YOKE, BUT THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DELAYED PULL UP FROM AN INTENTIONAL DESCENT DURING AN ABORTED SUICIDE ATTEMPT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/18/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 220
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BEAUFORT
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28516
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BEAUFORT-MOREHEAD CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MRH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 13
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 157 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID EWN
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1512
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 22 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1040
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42925
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N704EA
NTSB Number ATL90LA084
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 150M
Aircraft Series Identifier 150M
Aircraft Serial Number 15078542
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TAR HEEL AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 911
Aircraft Owner City JACKSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28540
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TAR HEEL AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address POST OFFICE BOX 911
Operator City JACKSONVILLE
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28540
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code MRH
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code MRH
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 26
Runway Length 4252
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --