Cessna 210 accident near Kinston, North Carolina, February 24, 1996
On February 24, 1996 at about 3:25 pm local time, a Cessna 210, registered N3887Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kinston, North Carolina (Kingston Regional Jetport 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 pilot's failure to compensate for the crosswind and his inadequate weather evaluation. A factor was the gusty crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 1996 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Kinston, North Carolina · Kingston Regional Jetport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210 · all 210s on the register
- Registration
- N3887Y · no longer on the register · serial 210-58387
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the preflight inspection of the airplane, the right fuel tank had about 30 gallons of fuel and the left tank had only 5 gallons of fuel. After a before takeoff runup check was completed, the pilot was cleared into position for takeoff. As the pilot started the takeoff roll, he noticed that the airplane started drifting to the right; efforts to arrest the right drift failed. The airplane continued the right drift off the side of the runway into the grass and nosed over. Examination of the airplane failed to disclose a mechanical problem. Winds were 330 degrees at 12 knots gusting 22 knots; runway 05 was the active runway.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 195 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,362 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 1996; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KISO at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 12 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:30 pm from ISO, 360 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.