Cessna 152 accident near Whiteville, North Carolina, January 3, 1990
On January 3, 1990 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N94187, was substantially damaged in an accident near Whiteville, North Carolina. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED THROUGH THE LANDING FLARE TO AVOID A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS HIS FAILURE TO ANTICIPATE CONTROL INPUTS REQUIRED BY INCREASED THRUST DURING THE GO AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 1990 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Whiteville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N94187 · no longer on the register · serial 15285617
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A STUDENT PILOT HAD COMPLETED HIS SOLO AIR WORK & WAS ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO HIS HOME AIRFIELD. AFTER PROCEEDING ON THE HEADING FROM THE PRACTICE AREA TO THE AIRFIELD FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, HE BECAME CONCERNED, & HEADED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. HE RECOGNIZED HE WAS LOST. COMMUNICATIONS WERE ESTABLISHED WITH APPROACH CONTROL THROUGH ANOTHER AIRPLANE FROM THE SAME OPERATOR. A HEADING WAS PROVIDED TO HOME BASE. WHEN HE REPORTED OVER ANOTHER AIRPORT HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO LAND BY THE OPERATOR. DURING THE LANDING FLARE THE STUDENT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTRO, ATTEMPTED A GO AROUND, OVER RAN THE RUNWAY, & HIT A CANAL.
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: student
- Flight time: 21 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,172 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 26, 1989; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HYW Conway SC at 5:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from MYB, 35 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.
Other NTSB records under N94187 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.