Piper PA-28-180 accident near Ocracoke, North Carolina, July 3, 2000
On July 3, 2000 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N5381L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocracoke, North Carolina (Ocrakoke 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 failure to compensate with rudder control for engine torque and 'p' factor during a go-around resulting in the aircraft drifting to the left, colliding with brush, and spinning around coming to rest in the brush.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2000 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ocracoke, North Carolina · Ocrakoke Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5381L · no longer on the register · serial 28-4688
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the aircraft arrived over the runway threshold at about 50 feet and she reduced engine power. She then added engine power but did not hold enough rudder to compensate for the power. The aircraft drifted to the left. She then elected to perform a go-around. When she applied full engine power, the aircraft drifted further to the left. The left wing contacted bushes off the left side of the runway and the aircraft spun around and came to rest in the bushes.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 131 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 79 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,106 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 29, 2000; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MQI Manteo NC at 2:30 pm
- Destination: W95
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from HSE, 17 miles away
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.
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.