Cessna 172 accident near Ocean Isle Bch, North Carolina, August 6, 1998
On August 6, 1998 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N4103F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocean Isle Bch, North Carolina (Ocean Isle Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate inflight planning that resulted in excessive airspeed and altitude for a full stop landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1998 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ocean Isle Bch, North Carolina · Ocean Isle Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N4103F · no longer on the register · serial 46003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot returned to the departure airport for a full stop landing. As she turned final for the landing, she realized that another airplane was behind her in the traffic pattern. At this point she elected to maintain a higher than normal airspeed and altitude on final. The pilot reported that the airplane touched down about 2000 feet down the 4000 foot long runway. The airplane rolled off the departure end of the runway, crossed a two lane road, and collided with a ditch. The pilot also recalled that there was a slight cross wind during the landing, and as she applied brakes to stop the airplane, the brakes appeared to have been ineffective in slowing the airplane. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot.
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: 750 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 1998; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6J0 at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from ILM, 50 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.