Cessna 172N accident near Tangier Island, Virginia, August 2, 1990
On August 2, 1990 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N1516E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tangier Island, Virginia (Tangier Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING AND PREMATURE RAISING OF THE FLAPS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1990 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Tangier Island, Virginia · Tangier Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N1516E · no longer on the register · serial 17271030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT LANDED AT 65 KTS WITH 20 DEG OF FLAPS. HE STATED THAT WHEN HE TOUCHED DOWN, THE ACFT STRUCK A 'RIPPLE' ON THE RWY, CAUSING THE ACFT TO BECOME AIRBORNE. HE ADDED POWER IN AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO AVOID A HARD LANDING. AFTER THE ACFT LANDED AGAIN, IT PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE PLT SUSPECTED THE NOSE GEAR WAS DAMAGED FROM THE HARD LANDING, SO HE SIMULTANEOUSLY RAISED THE FLAPS AND ADDED POWER TO GO-AROUND. THE ACFT BEGAN CLIMBING, BUT BEGAN TO SINK AS THE FLAPS RETRACTED. THE ACFT LANDED HARD AGAIN, SWERVED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY AND NOSED DOWN.
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: 100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Cape Charles VA at 7:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from PHF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N1516E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.