Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wanchese, North Carolina 27981
Saturday, March 3, 1990 13:54 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED HE CLIMBED OVER A CLOUD BANK A FEW HUNDRED FEET HIGH, WHICH WAS LOCATED OVER THE INLET WHICH FLOWED INTO THE ATLANTIC. AS HE TRANSITIONED THROUGH THE COLD FRONT THE OAT GAUGE DROPPED FROM 60 TO 38 DEGREES. ONCE PAST THE CLOUD BANK, HE REDUCED POWER AND APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT TO DESCEND BELOW A SECOND LINE OF CLOUDS AND FOG. HE LEVELED AT 1000 FEET ADDED FULL POWER AND TURNED OFF THE CARBURETOR HEAT. THIRTY SECONDS LATER THE ENGINE QUIT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S PREMATURE, DISCONTINUED USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/3/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1354
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WANCHESE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27981
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1405 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID MQI
Elevation of weather observation facility 13
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1513
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 3 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42926
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3663L
NTSB Number ATL90LA072
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 172G
Aircraft Series Identifier 172G
Aircraft Serial Number 17253832
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Yes
ELT Activated No
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 MELVIN D. BURRIS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address POST OFFICE BOX 640
Operator City HATTERAS
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27943
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 No
Departure Airport Code 8W5
Departure City HATTERAS
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1240
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MQI
Destination City MANTEO
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --