Cox Grantham Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Goldsboro, North Carolina 27530
Sunday, September 9, 1990 14:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING A POWER REDUCTION DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. THEY SAW THE AIRCRAFT ENTER A STEEP PITCH-UP FOLLOWED BY A LEFT ROLL & SPIN ENTRY. SUBSEQUENTLY IT IMPACTED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN & LEFT WING DOWN ATTITUDE. THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND THAT WOULD PRECLUDE ITS OPERATION. THE PASSENGER INDICATED THAT HE MAY HAVE RETARDED THE THROTTLE. THERE WAS CONTINUITY OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: CONTROL INTERFERENCE BY THE PASSENGER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/9/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GOLDSBORO
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27530
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COX GRANTHAM
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1355 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID GSB
Elevation of weather observation facility 133
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1985
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 9 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1850
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44540
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:21PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6341J
NTSB Number ATL90LA169
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-4849
Certified Max Gross Weight 2175
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
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 THOMPSON, CHESTER I.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ROUTE 1, BOX 239
Operator City GOLDSBORO
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27530
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 1430
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 Takeoff
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 23
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --