Cessna 150 accident near Johnston, South Carolina, July 21, 1983
On July 21, 1983 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N18188, was substantially damaged in an accident near Johnston, South Carolina. 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 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 21, 1983 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Johnston, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N18188 · no longer on the register · serial 15073851
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT BEFORE TAKING OFF, HE PREFLIGHTED THE ACFT & ESTIMATED THAT 6 GAL OF FUEL WAS ON BOARD. ACCORDING TO HIM, THE ENGINE LOST POWER APRX 30 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF & HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT. DURING A FORCED LANDING, HE INTENTIONALLY GROUND LOOPED THE ACFT TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH A FENCE. DURING THE GROUND LOOP, THE NOSE GEAR FAILED. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A 26 GAL FUEL SYS OF WHICH 3.5 GAL WAS UNUSABLE. NORMAL FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS BETWEEN 7.0 & 3.2 GAL/HR. THE PLT REPORTED PROBABLE MISCALCULATION OF FUEL.
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: 155 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 126 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,707 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1983; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Batesburg SC at 11:00 am
- Destination: Trenton SC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:48 pm from A65
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.