Cessna 172N accident near Columbia, South Carolina, April 2, 2004
On April 2, 2004 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N271EP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, South Carolina (Columbia Metropolitan airport). 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 inadequate in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. The pilot's preflight planning and uneven terrain were contributing factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 2004 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, South Carolina · Columbia Metropolitan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N271EP · no longer on the register · serial 17273207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on visual approach to the airport, the engine sputtered then lost power. The pilot's attempts to restore engine power were not successful. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to avoid trees, and it touched down on a grass fairway and nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed 18 ounces of fuel was recovered from the right wing tank, and no fuel was recovered from the left wing tank. Four ounces of fuel was recovered from the fuel supply line to the carburetor, and the carburetor bowl contained no fuel. No evidence of fuel system leakage or defects were observed. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of malfunction. Per STC SA4428SW, the airplane was equipped with a Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180-horsepower engine. The airplane accumulated 3.7 hours on the hobbs meter during the flight.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 386 hours in all; 285 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 261 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 30, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,525 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 25, 2004; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Avion Air Academy
The flight
- Departed from: KSFB Orlando Sanford FL at 5:30 pm
- Destination: KCAE Columbia Metro SC
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from KCAE, 1 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.
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.