Cessna 172 accident near Wilmington, North Carolina, May 10, 1993
On May 10, 1993 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N4856D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wilmington, North Carolina (New Hanover International 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 GROUND PERSONNEL'S FAILURE TO ENSURE THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS CLEAR OF OBSTRUCTIONS WHICH RESULTED IN THE RIGHT WING COLLIDING WITH A UTILITY POLE. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 1993 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wilmington, North Carolina · New Hanover International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N4856D · registry record · serial 17272374
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, SHE COMPLETED A NORMAL LANDING AND WAS TAXIING TO PARKING WHEN A GROUND GUIDE ON THE RAMP APPROACHED THE AIRPLANE TO ASSIST WITH THE PARKING. AS THE AIRPLANE NEARED THE PARKING SPOT, THE GROUND GUIDE INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO TURN LEFT. AS THE PILOT STARTED THE TURN, THE RIGHT OUTBOARD WING PANEL COLLIDED WITH A UTILITY POLE ON THE RAMP
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: 484 hours in all; 484 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,530 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 7, 1993; 125 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ILM at 1:15 pm
- Destination: ILM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 7,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from ILM, 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.
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.