Cessna 172P accident near Hilton Head, South Carolina, October 3, 1987
On October 3, 1987 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N66090, was destroyed in an accident near Hilton Head, South Carolina (Hilton Head airport). It was an instructional 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
- October 3, 1987 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Hilton Head, South Carolina · Hilton Head · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N66090 · registry record · serial 17275963
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS PERFORMING A CROSSWIND LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. THE ACFT DRIFTED TO THE SIDE OF THE RWY AND ONE WHEEL WAS OFF THE PAVED SURFACE UPON THE NEXT TOUCHDOWN. THE STUDENT PLT ATTEMPTED TO HOLD THE ACFT STRAIGHT IN THE DIRECTION IT WAS GOING. THE NOSE WHEEL DROPPED IN A SHALLOW DITCH AND THE ACFT NOSED 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: student
- Flight time: 33 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,798 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 1987; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Low Country Air Service,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: GRE No.Myrtle Bch SC at 3:55 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from SAV, 27 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.
Other NTSB records under N66090 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.