Cessna 177 accident near Windsor, North Carolina, July 29, 1990
On July 29, 1990 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N3184T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Windsor, North Carolina (Todds airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE FLARE PHASE OF THE APPROACH. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE GUSTY WIND CONDITION ON FINAL CAUSED BY THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN THE VICINITY OF THE LANDING AREA. THE PILOT DID NOT COMPENSATE FOR THE GUSTING CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1990 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Windsor, North Carolina · Todds · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3184T · registry record · serial 17700484
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ATTEMPTING A NORMAL FULL STOP LANDING AT A PRIVATE SOD AIRSTRIP, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND DURING THE FLARE PHASE OF THE APPROACH. THE LEFT WING DIPPED AND COLLIDED WITH THE TOBACCO PLANTS ADJACENT TO THE LANDING STRIP. THE PILOT COULD NOT RECOVER FROM THE LEFT WING LOW CONDITION. THE PILOT REPORTED THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS NEAR THE AIRFIELD.
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: 205 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 110 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,105 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 1989; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:05 pm from RWI, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N3184T 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.