Cessna 152 accident near Greensboro, North Carolina, September 19, 1993
On September 19, 1993 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4794B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greensboro, North Carolina (Air Harbor 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 INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS DURING THE TOUCH AND GO LANDING. FACTORS WERE THE CROSSWIND CONDITIONS, AND THE HIDDEN OBSTRUCTION (ROCK) IN THE GRASS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1993 · about 6:30 pm local time · cases in 1993
- Place
- Greensboro, North Carolina · Air Harbor · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N4794B · no longer on the register · serial 15283640
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON HIS SECOND SUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT. DURING THE FINAL APPROACH FOR A TOUCH AND GO LANDING, HE OBSERVED CROSSWINDS WHICH PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. DURING THE FLARE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL TO THE RIGHT OF THE PLANNED TOUCHDOWN POINT, SO HE CORRECTED WITH LEFT AILERON. THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED TO THE LEFT OF THE TOUCHDOWN POINT, SO HE EXECUTED A GO-AROUND. HE TURNED TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID SOME TREES, AND THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED TO THE GROUND, WHERE THE NOSE GEAR COLLIDED WITH A LARGE, HIDDEN ROCK, AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER.
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: 19 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 5 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: 6,580 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 1993; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Services Unlimited
The flight
- Destination: W88
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,400 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,300 ft; not recorded at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from GSO, 9 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4794B: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 152 1,636 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,685 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C 84 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Air Harbor Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in North Carolina 1,762 since 1982 · 305 in the last ten years
- North Carolina 7,118 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL93LA161.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.