Cessna 172M accident near Manteo, North Carolina, August 3, 1993
On August 3, 1993 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N80797, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manteo, North Carolina (Dare County Regional 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
INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WIND AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING (INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 1993 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Manteo, North Carolina · Dare County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N80797 · registry record · serial 172-66750
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE FLARE/TOUCHDOWN PHASE OF THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A WIND CONDITION THAT THAT SHE BELIEVED WAS WINDSHEAR. SHE SAID THAT THIS RESULTED IN A NOSE HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE AND A DROP IN AIRSPEED. SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, AND IT FELL NOSE FIRST AND COLLIDED WITH THE RUNWAY SURFACE. WINDS IN THE LOCAL AREA WERE REPORTED AT FIVE KNOTS WITH STRONG GUSTS. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED WITH THE AIRPLANE. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF THE PILOT RECEIVING A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE OR DURING THE FLIGHT.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,300 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 175 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 1,530 as pilot in command; 15 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFA Kill Devil Hill NC at 6:20 pm
- Destination: MQI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,849 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from MQI
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.