Cessna 172 N66068

Summary

On 13 August 1990 at about 15:30 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N66068 was involved in an accident near Ridge Spring, South Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 August 1990 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Ridge Spring, South Carolina, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N66068

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Columbia → Thomson

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL90LA159

Nobody was injured.

THE FAILURE OF THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY/OWNER TO FOLLOW STANDARD PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO EXTEND THE FLAPS DURING THE FORCED LANDING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT WAS ESTABLISHED AT CRUISE WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD BANG. SHORTLY AFTERWARD, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT SELECTED AN OPEN FIELD FOR THE EMERGENCY LANDING. AFTER CLEARING A TREE LINE THE PILOT MADE A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE NOSE GEAR COLLIDED WITH A DITCH, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE ENGINE EXAMINATION FOUND NO.4 EXHAUST VALVE STUCK AND THE PUSH ROD/HOUSING ASSEMBLIES WERE DISPLACED FROM THEIR NORMAL POSITIONS. THE ENGINE WAS 345 HOURS OVER THE SUGGESTED OVERHAUL TIME IN SERVICE WHEN THE VALVE STUCK. THE PILOT ALSO FAILED TO EXTEND THE WING FLAPS DURING THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.