Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Harkers Island, North Carolina 28531
Tuesady, November 15, 1988 15:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RPRTD HE WAS ORBITING OVER A SCHOOL OF FISH AT APRX 800' WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE FROM HIS OWN ACFT. HE BELIEVED THAT A WIDER ORBIT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED HIM FROM FLYING BACK INTO THE WAKE & ADDITIONAL ALTITUDE WOULD HAVE PROVIDED MORE TIME FOR RECOVERY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/15/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1510
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City HARKERS ISLAND
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28531
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 11
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 1500 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID NKT
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1107
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 16 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37063
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8225F
NTSB Number ATL89LA038
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 152F
Aircraft Series Identifier 152F
Aircraft Serial Number 15064325
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 2 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 48
Airframe Hours 3016
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLIE PITTMAN JR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 301 FAIRVIEW DR.
Aircraft Owner City BEAUFORT
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28516
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PATRICK S. SMITH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ROUTE 3 BOX 75
Operator City BEAUFORT
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28576
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MRH
Departure City BEAUFORT
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
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 Descent
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 --