Piper PA-28 accident near Jacksonville, North Carolina, May 20, 1990
On May 20, 1990 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N5290W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, North Carolina (Jacksonville airport). It was a personal 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 PILOT'S DECISION TO LAND DOWNWIND AND HIS DELAY IN EXECUTING A GO-AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1990 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, North Carolina · Jacksonville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N5290W · registry record · serial 28-341
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING LANDING, FOLLOWING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRSTRIP. NO RAIN WAS FALLING AT THE AIRSTRIP BUT, THERE WAS A TAILWIND OF 8 TO 10 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 15. JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN THE DESCENT INCREASED & THE AIRPLANE 'PITCHED FORWARD.' POWER WAS INCREASED TO SLOW THE DESCENT THEN REDUCED TO LAND. AT TOUCHDOWN THE PILOT NOTED HE COULD NOT STOP ON THE RUNWAY AND THE LANDING WAS ABORTED. DURING THE GO-AROUND HE AIRPLANE WENT UNDER A MARKED WIRE & HIT AN UNMARKED STATIC WIRE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,900 hours in all; 350 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W83 Ashland VA at 9:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,800 ft by 180 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.