Amateur-built BABY ACE accident near Jacksonville, North Carolina, September 20, 1992
On September 20, 1992 at about 10:02 pm local time, a amateur-built BABY ACE, registered N840Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, North Carolina (Sky Manor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1992 · about 10:02 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, North Carolina · Sky Manor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BABY ACE
- Registration
- N840Z · no longer on the register · serial 1001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE AIRPLANE'S OWNER, THE PILOT WAS DEMONSTRATING THE AIRPLANE'S PERFORMANCE TO A POSSIBLE BUYER WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND CRASHED. PRIOR TO THE IMPACT, A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE IN A STEEP RIGHT TURN (60 DEGREES OF BANK AT APPROXIMATELY CRUISE AIRSPEED) 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. IT DISAPPEARED BEHIND TREES IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE; THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO DISCLOSE A SYSTEM MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
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: 3,500 hours in all; 10 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 4AC176B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NC41 at 10:00 pm
- Destination: NC41
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,610 ft by 85 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 pm from ILM, 30 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.
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.