Cessna 172G accident near Ridgeland, South Carolina, August 17, 2005
On August 17, 2005 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N5863R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ridgeland, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for undertermined reasons which resulted in a collision with objects.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2005 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Ridgeland, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N5863R · no longer on the register · serial 17253532
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane climbed to 1500 feet over the newly planted pine trees and the engine started to run rough at 2200 RPM. The pilot began looking for a suitable landing field and the engine lost power. The pilot's attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The pilot made a forced landing in a marshy field. After touchdown, the airplane rolled out approximately 10 yards and collided with a tree stump partially submerged in the swampy terrain. Examination of the airplane revealed the left main landing gear and the nose gear detached. The propeller was also bent and the right wing tip was dented. An engine run was performed after the accident. The carburetor was replaced with a new one because the original was damaged. The engine was run at 2000 RPM for two minutes during the functional test. The pilot reported that the flight departed with 15 gallons of low-lead fuel. During the airplane recovery several gallons of fuel were recovered from the fuel system. The post-accident examination of the airframe and subsystems failed to disclose any mechanical problems or component failures.
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: 207 hours in all; 164 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 180 as pilot in command; 38 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,471 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2005; 2.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3J1 Ridgeland SC at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 81°F (27°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 10:26 pm from KNBC, 13 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.