Cessna P206 accident near Liberty, North Carolina, May 9, 1990
On May 9, 1990 at about 1:37 am local time, a Cessna P206, registered N220P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Liberty, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO IMPROPER REPAIRS TO, AND INADEQUATE INSPECTION OF, THE INDUCTION AIR BOX. THE NIGHT LIGHT CONDITION WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1990 · about 1:37 am local time
- Place
- Liberty, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P206 · all P206s on the register
- Registration
- N220P · no longer on the register · serial P2060409
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT RADIOED HE WAS LOSING POWER AND ATTEMPTING A LANDING ON A HIGHWAY. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS WHO OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE AS IT APPROACHED AN OVERPASS, THE PILOT APPEARED TO HAVE PULLED UP TO AVOID POWER LINES, AND THEN COLLIDED WITH A TELEPHONE LINE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED ONTO A MEDIAN STRIP. THE INDUCTION AIR BOX DOOR SPRING WAS FOUND TO HAVE WORN COMPLETELY THROUGH THE ATTACH HOLE OF THE AIR BOX DOOR ARM. THE TOTAL SPRING LENGTH WAS 2.50 INCHES; ENGINEERING DRAWING SPECIFIES A SPRING LENGTH OF 3.66 INCHES. ALSO, THE THICKNESS OF THE ARM ITSELF WAS LESS THAN 50% OF THAT SPECIFIED BY THE DRAWING. THE BRACKET THAT THE OTHER END OF THE SPRING ATTACHES TO WAS MISLOCATED ABOUT 0.50 INCH FROM THE DRAWING DIMENSION. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BOX WAS FASTENED TOGETHER MOSTLY BY BLIND FASTENER RIVETS WHICH ARE NOT CALLED FOR ON THE DRAWING. IT WAS ALSO CAULKED WITH A SOFT SEALANT ALSO NOT CALLED FOR.
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
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 272 hours in all; 83 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 241 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,588 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 28, 1989; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Asheboro NC at 1:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:53 am from GSO, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.