Amateur-built E accident near Statesville, North Carolina, March 8, 1992
On March 8, 1992 at about 10:00 pm local time, a amateur-built E, registered N1337M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Statesville, North Carolina (Statesville Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE DURING A STEEP TURN AT LOW LEVEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 1992 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Statesville, North Carolina · Statesville Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built E
- Registration
- N1337M · no longer on the register · serial 325
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING OVER RUNWAY 02 AT ABOUT 50-65 FEET AGL. AS IT NEARED THE 'T' INTERSECTION OF ANOTHER RUNWAY IT BANKED STEEPLY & ESTABLISHED A CLOSE DOWNWIND LEG FOR RUNWAY 02, AT THE SAME LOW ALTITUDE. ONCE PAST THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD A STEEP BANK WAS BEGUN TO A BASE/FINAL LEG, ACCORDING TO A WITNESS. DURING THE STEEP TURN, DESCRIBED AS GREATER THAN 60 DEGREES, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED OUT OF VIEW OF THE WITNESS BEHIND INTERVENING TREES. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS A RADIO CALL WAS MADE ON UNICOM THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD CRASHED. THE PILOT DID NOT POSSESS A PILOT CERTIFICATE NOR A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE.
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
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental 65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Gastonia NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from HKY, 20 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.
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.