Johnson Hornet accident near Archdale, North Carolina, September 21, 2002
On September 21, 2002 at about 4:58 pm local time, a Johnson Hornet, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N1928J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Archdale, North Carolina (Johnson Field). 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 maintain directional control during final approach, which resulted in the airplane drifting off course and impacting with trees. Factors in this accident were the pilot's attention being diverted due to the right door not being secured.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2002 · about 4:58 pm local time
- Place
- Archdale, North Carolina · Johnson Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Johnson Hornet, amateur-built
- Registration
- N1928J · no longer on the register · serial 0043
- 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 just after takeoff he realized that he forgot to secure the right door. He elected to return for landing and on approach he was lined up with the taxiway, and not the runway as he intended. He attempted to steer the airplane to the right in an attempt to make the runway, but could not attain the needed airspeed to correct the direction of flight, or climb enough to avoid impacting the trees. The pilot said, "…this accident was due to pilot error, nothing to due with the aircraft or power plant...I failed to fly the plane with full attention to landing. I gave too much attention to the door."
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: 675 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 660 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 6, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 24 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Hirth 2706 YOXC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 72A Archdale NC at 4:58 pm
- Destination: Archdale NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 5:03 pm from KEXX, 28 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.
Other NTSB records under N1928J 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.