Cessna 172 M accident near Moncks Corner, South Carolina, November 3, 1985
On November 3, 1985 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172 M, registered N73171, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moncks Corner, South Carolina (Charleston 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 3, 1985 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Moncks Corner, South Carolina · Charleston · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M · all 172 Ms on the register
- Registration
- N73171 · registry record · serial 17267298
- 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 THE ACFT ENGINE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR THE INITIAL ILS APPROACH TO CHARLESTON, SC (CHS). ATTEMPTS BY THE PLT TO REGAIN PWR FAILED AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A SWAMPY FIELD A FEW MILES NORTH OF CHS. THE ACFT NOSED OVER INVERTED AS IT CAME TO A STOP AND REMAINED THAT WAY UNTIL IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE SITE 3 DAYS LATER. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED ABOUT 6 TO 8 OUNCES OF FUEL IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND NO CONTAMINATION WAS DETECTED. A TOTAL OF 4 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS THEN ADDED TO THE TWO WING TANKS. THE ENGINE WAS READILY STARTED, USING THE ACFT BATTERY, AND IT RAN SMOOTHLY AFTER A FEW SECONDS OF ROUGHNESS. THE ENGINE WAS RUN TO FULL POWER AND NO DEFECTS WERE NOTED. FOLLOWING SHUTDOWN, AN EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED NO LEAKS. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS TOPPED OFF PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AND SHOULD HAVE HAD 5 HRS OF FUEL. THE PILOT REPORTED THE TOTAL ENGINE RUNNING TIME AT 4 HRS 40 MINUTES.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 501 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 451 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,809 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 25, 1985; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ADW Andrews Afb DC at 3:55 pm
- Destination: CHS Charleston SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 15
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,400 ft; clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:36 pm from CHS, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL86LA017.