Martin County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Williamston, North Carolina 27892
Monday, October 29, 1990 17:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS FLYING THE THIRD LEG OF HIS 300 MILE SOLO CROSS COUNTRY WHEN HE BECAME LOST. HE CONTINUED THE FLIGHT AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM THE FSS VIA RADIO. HE CONTINUED FLYING PAST SUNSET WHILE LOOKING FOR FAMILIAR LANDMARKS. FINALLY, HE LOCATED AN AIRFIELD AND ATTEMPTED A NIGHT LANDING. UPON LANDING, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED, THEN LANDED HARD, BENDING THE NOSE GEAR. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP ON ITS RIGHT WING. THE PILOT'S ONLY NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE OCCURRED EIGHT MONTHS EARLIER, WHEN HE LOGGED .9 HOURS OF NIGHT TIME, WITH FIVE NIGHT LANDINGS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY FLARE THE AIRPLANE DURING THE NIGHT LANDING ATTEMPT. THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN GEOGRAPHIC ORIENTATION AND THE SUBSEQUENT FLIGHT INTO NIGHT CONDITIONS WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT'S LACK OF NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE WAS ALSO A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/29/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1745
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WILLIAMSTON
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27892
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MARTIN COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MCZ
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 76
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1841 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PGV
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 1
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 902
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 29 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42073
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3490V
NTSB Number ATL91LA012
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150M
Aircraft Series Identifier 150M
Aircraft Serial Number 15076520
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 18 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 82
Airframe Hours 6657
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LAURENCE A. TAYLOR
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 8004
Aircraft Owner City GREENVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27834
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CRE
Departure City N. MYRTLE BEACH
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PGV
Destination City GREENVILLE
Destination State NC
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 21
Runway Length 3700
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --