First Flight Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kitty Hawk, North Carolina 27949
Monday, April 23, 1990 12:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST LANDING AT THIS AIRPORT. HE HAD JUST COMPLETED A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT AND THE WIND WAS GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. AS HE WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 20, THE WIND PICKED UP A WING, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO LEAVE THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT WING DUG INTO THE SAND, THE AIRCRAFT TURNED 180 DEGREES, THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN AND THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/23/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City KITTY HAWK
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27949
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FIRST FLIGHT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FFA
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 275
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 295
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 23 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1445
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41234
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N891LH
NTSB Number ATL90DMG02
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HARDY
Aircraft Model RV-4
Aircraft Series Identifier RV-4
Aircraft Serial Number 92
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 10 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours 29
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LESLIE E HARDY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8801 BROOKVIEW COURT
Aircraft Owner City RALEIGH
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27613
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LESLIE E. HARDY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8801 BROOKVIEW COURT
Operator City RALEIGH
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27613
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City DURHAM
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 20
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --