Pzl 80 accident near Wilmington, North Carolina, April 3, 1990
On April 3, 1990 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Pzl 80, registered N2246U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wilmington, North Carolina. It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY ADJUST THE THROTTLE FRICTION WHICH RESULTED IN THE DISCONNECTION OF THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 1990 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wilmington, North Carolina
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pzl 80
- Registration
- N2246U · registry record · serial CE20890878
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE THROTTLE WAS STIFF. HE RELEASED THE FRICTION, BUT THE THROTTLE LEVER REMAINED STIFF. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE THROTTLE FRICTION KNOB FELL FROM THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY. THE PILOTS RECOVERED THE KNOB, BUT WERE UNABLE TO REPLACE THE KNOB. DURING THE APPROACH TO WILMINGTON, THE PILOTS REDUCED THE THROTTLE AND THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOTS COULD NOT ADVANCE THE THROTTLE. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED LANDED INTO TREES SHORT OF THE AIRPORT. A SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT THE FRICTION KNOB IS ALSO THE AXLE WHICH SUPPORTS THE THROTTLE AND PROPELLER LEVERS. THUS, ITS REMOVAL PREVENTED NORMAL OPERATION OF THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLE.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL90LA091.