Todds Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Windsor, North Carolina 27983
Sunday, July 29, 1990 17:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ATTEMPTING A NORMAL FULL STOP LANDING AT A PRIVATE SOD AIRSTRIP, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND DURING THE FLARE PHASE OF THE APPROACH. THE LEFT WING DIPPED AND COLLIDED WITH THE TOBACCO PLANTS ADJACENT TO THE LANDING STRIP. THE PILOT COULD NOT RECOVER FROM THE LEFT WING LOW CONDITION. THE PILOT REPORTED THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS NEAR THE AIRFIELD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE FLARE PHASE OF THE APPROACH. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE GUSTY WIND CONDITION ON FINAL CAUSED BY THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN THE VICINITY OF THE LANDING AREA. THE PILOT DID NOT COMPENSATE FOR THE GUSTING CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WINDSOR
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27983
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TODDS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 30
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1705 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID RWI
Elevation of weather observation facility 158
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 425
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) 648
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 29 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41652
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3184T
NTSB Number ATL90LA152
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 177
Aircraft Series Identifier 177
Aircraft Serial Number 17700484
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 6 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours 3105
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EARL M. CASTELLOE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 126
Aircraft Owner City WINDSOR
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27983
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 12
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --