Piper PA-22 accident near Holly Ridge, North Carolina, February 18, 2005
On February 18, 2005 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N1476A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Holly Ridge, North Carolina (Top Soil Airpark airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The CFI's improper use of the rudder control and normal braking during the landing roll that resulted in the collapse of the nose gear assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 2005 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Holly Ridge, North Carolina · Top Soil Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N1476A · no longer on the register · serial 22-383
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with terrain during landing roll at the Top Sail Airpark, in Top Sail, North Carolina. According to the CFI, after departing Top Sail Airpark for a short engine break-in flight they headed back to land. He stated the wind was strong and he decided to land with a little more airspeed. He said they floated down the runway and touched down about midfield. He asked the student to apply the brakes, and he said he was. The CFI said he realized that they were not going to stop before the end of the runway and turned the airplane to the left towards a small field. The student pilot applied left rudder at the same time and the nose gear collapsed and the airplane's right wing struck the ground substantially damaging the wing.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,207 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 134 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 1,164 as pilot in command; 309 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 28, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,436 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 6, 2005; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ON1 Holly Ridge NC at 6:00 pm
- Destination: ON1
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from CLT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.