Cessna 172L accident near Long Island, North Carolina, February 23, 2006
On February 23, 2006 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N3803Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Long Island, North Carolina (Long Island 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 student pilot's failure to achieve the proper touch down point on landing resulting in an overrun, on-ground collision with a ditch, and subsequent nose over. A factor in the accident was the inadequate supervision of the student pilot by the flight instructor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 2006 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Long Island, North Carolina · Long Island Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N3803Q · registry record · serial 17259903
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was on an instructional flight with a flight instructor. The student pilot entered a left downwind for landing. The student pilot failed to land the airplane on the wet grass runway in the first one-third of the touchdown zone. The flight instructor got on the flight controls and applied brakes with the student pilot. The airplane went off the end of the runway, into the overrun, collided with a ditch/gully, and nosed over. When the flight instructor was asked what caused the accident he replied, "the student pilot failed to achieve the proper touchdown point on landing and his inadequate supervision of the student pilot." When the flight instructor was asked if the airplane experienced any mechanical problems before the accident, he stated no.
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: 3,299 hours in all; 198 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 2,899 as pilot in command; 118 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,338.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2006; 53.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IPJ Lincolnton NC at 6:15 pm
- Destination: NC26 Long Island NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from HKY, 21 miles away
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.