Private Strip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

South Boston, Virginia 24592
Thursday, December 27, 1990 12:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN THE LOCAL PRACTICE AREA AT 2,500 FT, THE STUDENT PILOT ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. DUE TO REDUCED CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES HE MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A PRIVATE GRASS STRIP. SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN HE NOTICED A DITCH IN FRONT OF HIM. STILL HOLDING FULL BACK PRESSURE ON THE YOKE, HE APPLIED FULL POWER TO FLY OVER THE DITCH. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT IMPACTED TREES ALONG THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE GRASS STRIP. DURING A WEATHER BRIEFING, THE PILOT WAS TOLD THAT VFR CONDITIONS WERE FORECAST TO CONTINUE DURING HIS ANTICIPATED FLIGHT TIME. HE WAS WARNED OF A STORM APPROACHING THE AREA, BUT ADVISED THAT IT WOULD NOT BE A FACTOR UNTIL LATER IN THE DAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT'S DELAY IN TAKING APPROPRIATE ACTION WHILE ENCOUNTERING ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT WERE WORSE THAN FORECAST, AND THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/27/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SOUTH BOSTON
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 24592
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PRIVATE STRIP
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 413
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1200 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 157
Weather Observation Facility ID LYH
Elevation of weather observation facility 938
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 46
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
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) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1643
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 28 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42975
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N48918
NTSB Number BFO91LA021
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15283389
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 Nov 14 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 59
Airframe Hours 2999
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name VIRGINIA AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 4209
Operator City LYNCHBURG
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 24502
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 LYH
Departure City LYNCHBURG
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1125
Departure Time Zone EST
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 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 36
Runway Length 1800
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --