Cessna 172 accident near Columbia, South Carolina, May 31, 1985
On May 31, 1985 at about 3:31 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N5221F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, South Carolina (Columbia Metro airport). It was a business 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
- May 31, 1985 · about 3:31 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, South Carolina · Columbia Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5221F · no longer on the register · serial 172-53254
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING A DESCENT TO 2100 FT, INTERMEDIATE LEVEL OFFS WERE MADE AT 5000, 4000, & 3000 FT. HE STATED THAT AT 2200 FT, CARB HEAT WAS REMOVED & POWER WAS APPLIED FOR THE LEVEL OFF. HOWEVER, WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED, THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH & WOULD NOT SUSTAIN LEVEL FLT. THE PLT STATED THAT ALL COMBINATIONS OF POWER & CARB HEAT WERE TRIED, BUT PROVIDED NO CHANGE. THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED OVER A DENSE FOREST, SO THE PLT ELECTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN A LAKE. THE ACFT SANK IN 14 FT OF WATER. IT WAS RECOVERED, BUT NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS VERIFIED. THE CARB HEAT CABLE WAS LOOSE, BUT THERE WAS IMPACT DAMAGE IN THAT AREA. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 74 & 68 DEGS RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, CARB ICING WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE IF THE CARB HEAT HAD NOT BEEN USED OR HAD NOT FUNCTIONED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,242 hours in all; 83 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Hampton VA at 10:10 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Observation at 3:51 pm from CAE, 5 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.