Cessna 172N accident near New Bern, North Carolina, August 18, 1992
On August 18, 1992 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5415J, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Bern, North Carolina (Craven County airport). 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 DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON THE LANDING ROLL. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AND THE CROSSWIND CONDITIONS AT THE AIRPORT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1992 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- New Bern, North Carolina · Craven County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5415J · registry record · serial 17273785
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 21-HOUR STUDENT PILOT WAS PREPARING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 22. SURFACE WINDS WERE FROM 360 AT 5 KNOTS, AND THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS CRABBING FOR CROSSWINDS. TOUCHDOWN WAS UNEVENTFUL, HOWEVER THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT DURING THE LANDING ROLL. OPPOSITE RUDDER DID NOT CORRECT THE SITUATION, SO HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND. AS HE ATTEMPTED TO GO AROUND, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR ROLLED INTO MUDDY GRASS. THE AIRCRAFT PULLED HARD TO THE LEFT, AND COLLIDED WITH A DRAINAGE DITCH. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED WITH THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT HAD ACCUMULATED 0.8 HOURS AS PILOT-IN-COMMAND.
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; 11 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,980 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 21, 1992; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air East, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: EWN at 7:00 pm
- Destination: EWN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,804 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:27 pm from EWN, 1 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 N5415J 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.