Cessna 172 accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina, April 5, 1983
On April 5, 1983 at about 2:50 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8253U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina (Spartanburg Downtown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 1983 · about 2:50 am local time
- Place
- Spartanburg, South Carolina · Spartanburg Downtown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8253U · no longer on the register · serial 17252153
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT'S SON, WHO WAS A PASSENGER, THE PLT HAD MADE A FINAL APPROACH LINEUP ON THE WRONG SET OF LIGHTS. REALIZING THE MISTAKE, THE PLT INITIATED A GO-AROUND AT APRX 200 FT AGL. HOWEVER, THE ENG LOST POWER. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT NIGHT, THE PLT SAW POWER LINES & PULLED THE NOSE UP TO AVOID A COLLISION, BUT WAS TOO LATE. THE STALL WARNING HORN SOUNDED & THE ACFT CRASHED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. A POWER LINE WAS FOUND WRAPPED AROUND THE FUSELAGE & TAIL SECTION. APRX 7 GAL OF FUEL WAS REMAINING. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT & SUBSYSTEMS FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE ACFT HAD BEEN RETROFITTED WITH FRONT SEAT SHOULDER RESTRAINT SYSTEMS. DESPITE THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE OF THE AFCT, WHICH INCLUDED REARWARD DISPLACEMENT OF THE ENG, THE PLT RECEIVED ONLY FACIAL INJURIES & THE PASSENGERS RECEIVED ONLY MINOR TO NO INJURIES. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 50 & 38 DEG. ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS INDICATED CARB ICING WAS POSSIBLE, BUT THE POSITON OF CARB HEAT ON FINAL, NOT VERIFIED.
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: 99 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 55 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,944 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1983; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSU Columbus OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,203 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 am from GSP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.