Cessna 172S accident near Kill Devil Hill, North Carolina, June 13, 2002
On June 13, 2002 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N793SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kill Devil Hill, North Carolina (Kill Devil Hills airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 maintain control of the airplane after an attempted aborted landing, and while braking during the landing roll, which resulted in the airplane departing the end of the runway and impacting with a ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 2002 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Kill Devil Hill, North Carolina · Kill Devil Hills · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N793SP · registry record · serial 172S-8718
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was aware that the winds at the destination airport were crosswind to the active runway. After entering the traffic pattern. He noticed "light to moderate" turbulence below 1,000 feet. He turned the airplane onto final approach and noted "significant" turbulence on final, he elected to keep the flaps at 20 degrees, and the airspeed at "75-80," with a "marginal" crab to correct for the crosswind. After crossing the threshold of runway 2, he encountered a "large gust of wind" which lifted the aircraft up significantly. At this point the airplane was above the runway, the pilot applied full power, and attempted to go around. He said that the airplane "...almost felt like it was being pushed back down on the runway." He felt that he had "no choice" but to attempt to land back on the runway. The airplane landed on the runway "with force" about halfway down the runway. After touchdown he applied "heavy" brakes, and attempted to slow down the airplane. The brakes locked and the airplane departed the runway onto soft sand. The airplane continued to move until it hit some mounds of sand, and came to a "sudden stop" when it hit a ditch. The reported winds at Manteo, North Carolina, about 6 miles southeast of the crash site were reported to be from 090 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 14 knots.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 227 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 181 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 5, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,124 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2002; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ILG New Castle DE at 3:00 pm
- Destination: FFA Kitty Hawk NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 02, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 12 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 5:43 pm from MQI, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.