Cessna 172P accident near Charleston, South Carolina, July 4, 1983
On July 4, 1983 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N52471, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charleston, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- July 4, 1983 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52471 · no longer on the register · serial 17274534
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER A STALL DURING A LOW PASS. THE PLT SAID HE WAS FLYING AROUND AN ISLANDAT 500 FT AGL TAKING PICTURES WHEN THE ACFT BEGAN TO SETTLE. HE ADDED POWER AND APPLIED ELEVATOR BACK PRESSURE. THEN CARBURETOR HEAT WAS APPLIED AND FLAPS ADDED FIRST 10 DEGREES, THEN 20 DEGREES AND FINALLY 30 DEGREES BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED TO SETTLE. THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND ON THE BEACH AND DURING ROLL THE NOSE GEAR DUG IN AND THE ACFTNOSED OVER.
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: 98 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 71 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 535 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 4, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,220 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-02J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHS Charleston SC
- Destination: CRE Myrtle Beach SC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from CHS, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.