Amateur-built FLYBABY accident near Troy, North Carolina, January 7, 1990
On January 7, 1990 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built FLYBABY, registered N91089, was destroyed in an accident near Troy, North Carolina (Batten airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE NON-RATED PILOT, DUE TO IMPAIRMENT FROM CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL, HIS LACK OF TRAINING/QUALIFICATION, HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE ENGINE CONTROLS WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FROM PROBABLE CARBURETOR ICE, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 7, 1990 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Troy, North Carolina · Batten · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built FLYBABY
- Registration
- N91089 · no longer on the register · serial 75-5
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A NON-RATED PERSON (WITH NO FAA MEDICAL OR PLT CERTIFICATE) ELECTED TO FLY THE HOME-BUILT ACFT. REPORTEDLY, THE ENG BEGAN TO 'MISFIRE' WHEN THE ACFT WAS OVER THE ARPT AT ABOUT 1000' AGL. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO LAND; HOWEVER, THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED IN A STEEP DSCNT NEAR THE 1600' RWY. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 44 & 36 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO CARB ICING CHARTS, CONDITIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN CONDUCIVE TO SERIOUS CARB ICING. NO RECORD WAS FOUND THAT THE PLT HAD RCVD PLT TRAINING, THOUGH HE HAD REPORTEDLY FLOWN ULTRALIGHT CRAFT. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS SHOWED HE HAD A (BLOOD)-ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.07O%, & A URINE-ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.145% (145 MG/DL).
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
Pilot
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 4AC-199 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from GSO, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.