Cessna 172G N4254L

Summary

On 20 July 1989 at about 18:00 local time, a Cessna 172G registered N4254L, operated by Gordon Air Services, was involved in an accident near Ridgeland, South Carolina, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 July 1989 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Ridgeland, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Ridgeland (3J1)

Coordinates

32.4796, -80.9800

Aircraft

Cessna 172G

Registration

N4254L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Gordon Air Services

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Miami

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL89FA182

3 people died.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC), WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL DURING TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT AND IMPROPER LIFT-OFF BY THE PIC, THE PILOT/PASSENGER'S IMPROPER CREW COORDINATION REGARDING THE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS THAT HE RECEIVED CONCERNING THE PAYLOAD LIMITATIONS, AND THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

TWO PLTS WERE SEATED AT THE CONTROLS. THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT PLT HAD RENTED THE ACFT; HE HAD 59 HRS TOTAL FLT TIME, OF WHICH, 3 HRS WAS IN THE CESSNA 172. THE LEFT FRONT SEAT PLT (NORMAL PSN FOR THE PIC) HAD 120 HRS OF FLT TIME, OF WHICH, 52 HRS WAS IN THE CESSNA 172. BEFORE RENTING THE ACFT, THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT PLT WAS TOLD OF THE ACFT'S LIMITED PAYLOAD & RWY LENGTH REQUIREMENTS DUE TO THE AUXILIARY FUEL CAPACITY. THE ACFT HAD BEEN REFUELED TO ITS CAPACITY AT THE EN ROUTE ARPT. DURING TAKEOFF FROM THE 3100 FT RWY, THE ACFT LIFTED OFF, SETTLED BACK ONTO RWY & LIFTED OFF AGAIN. THE ACFT CLIMBED WITH A STEEP NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE TO ABOUT 200 TO 250 FT, THEN IT ENTERED A STEEP DSCNT & CRASHED. THE WIND WAS RPRTD TO BE ALIGNED WITH THE RWY AT 10 KTS & THE TEMP WAS ABOUT 90 DEG. THE ACFT WAS ESTD TO HAVE BEEN LOADED ABOUT 120 LBS OVER ITS MAX WT LIMIT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. DENSITY ALT WAS APRX 2100 FT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.