Brunswick County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Southport, North Carolina 28461
Thursday, August 2, 1990 10:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER ENTERING AN INTENTIONAL SPIN MANEUVER, WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE SPIN IMMEDIATELY BECAME 'FLAT'. THE SPIN CONTINUED FOR ABOUT 7 TO 8 TURNS PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT. REPORTEDLY, THE NOSE DROPPED SLIGHTLY DURING THE LAST TURN OF THE SPIN. WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATIONS INDICATE THAT THE AIRCRAFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSIDE UTILITY CATEGORY LIMITATIONS DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE REASON FOR THE SPIN BECOMING FLAT, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO RECOVER CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE ENTRY INTO A FLAT SPIN WHICH PRECLUDED RECOVERY BY THE PILOT. THE REASON FOR THE SPIN BECOMING FLAT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SOUTHPORT
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28461
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BRUNSWICK COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SUT
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 25
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 25
Weather Observation Facility ID ILM
Elevation of weather observation facility 32
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1960
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 2 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44518
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9239T
NTSB Number ATL90FA153
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18
Aircraft Serial Number 18-2253
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 13 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
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 OAK ISLAND FLIGHT ACADEMY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 895
Operator City OAK ISLAND
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28465
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 1025
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 Maneuvering
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 --