Brown VAN'S RV-3 accident near Statesville, North Carolina, September 11, 1993
On September 11, 1993 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Brown VAN'S RV-3, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N115DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Statesville, North Carolina (Hodges Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID UTILITY LINES. A FACTOR WAS THE SUNGLARE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1993 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Statesville, North Carolina · Hodges Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brown VAN'S RV-3, amateur-built
- Registration
- N115DB · registry record · serial 11049
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A LOW PASS MANEUVER OVER THE PRIVATE AIRSTRIP AND COLLIDED WITH NEARBY, UTILITY LINES ABOUT 40 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING AT SPEEDS MORE THAN 200 MPH AND THERE WAS NO ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE COLLISION; THE SOUTHERLY FLIGHT PATH PLACED THE SUN INTO THE PILOT EYES. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE, NOR WERE AIRCRAFT PROBLEMS NOTICED OR HEARD BY THE GROUND OBSERVERS.
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: 1,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 279 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SVH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from HKY, 21 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.