Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Liberty, North Carolina 27298
Tuesady, May 8, 1990 21:37 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT RADIOED HE WAS LOSING POWER AND ATTEMPTING A LANDING ON A HIGHWAY. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS WHO OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE AS IT APPROACHED AN OVERPASS, THE PILOT APPEARED TO HAVE PULLED UP TO AVOID POWER LINES, AND THEN COLLIDED WITH A TELEPHONE LINE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED ONTO A MEDIAN STRIP. THE INDUCTION AIR BOX DOOR SPRING WAS FOUND TO HAVE WORN COMPLETELY THROUGH THE ATTACH HOLE OF THE AIR BOX DOOR ARM. THE TOTAL SPRING LENGTH WAS 2.50 INCHES; ENGINEERING DRAWING SPECIFIES A SPRING LENGTH OF 3.66 INCHES. ALSO, THE THICKNESS OF THE ARM ITSELF WAS LESS THAN 50% OF THAT SPECIFIED BY THE DRAWING. THE BRACKET THAT THE OTHER END OF THE SPRING ATTACHES TO WAS MISLOCATED ABOUT 0.50 INCH FROM THE DRAWING DIMENSION. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BOX WAS FASTENED TOGETHER MOSTLY BY BLIND FASTENER RIVETS WHICH ARE NOT CALLED FOR ON THE DRAWING. IT WAS ALSO CAULKED WITH A SOFT SEALANT ALSO NOT CALLED FOR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO IMPROPER REPAIRS TO, AND INADEQUATE INSPECTION OF, THE INDUCTION AIR BOX. THE NIGHT LIGHT CONDITION WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/8/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2137
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LIBERTY
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27298
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2153 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID GSO
Elevation of weather observation facility 926
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1966
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 8 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43335
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 N220P
NTSB Number ATL90FA111
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 P206
Aircraft Series Identifier P206
Aircraft Serial Number P2060409
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 4
Number of Engines 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 28 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 2588
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
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 JOHN C. THOMAS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1911 CEDAR ROAD
Operator City ASHEBORO
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27203
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 ASHEBORO
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 2115
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --