Cessna 172G accident near Ridgeland, South Carolina, July 20, 1989
On July 20, 1989 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N4254L, was destroyed in an accident near Ridgeland, South Carolina (Ridgeland airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC), WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL DURING TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT AND IMPROPER LIFT-OFF BY THE PIC, THE PILOT/PASSENGER'S IMPROPER CREW COORDINATION REGARDING THE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS THAT HE RECEIVED CONCERNING THE PAYLOAD LIMITATIONS, AND THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1989 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ridgeland, South Carolina · Ridgeland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4254L · no longer on the register · serial 17254323
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWO PLTS WERE SEATED AT THE CONTROLS. THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT PLT HAD RENTED THE ACFT; HE HAD 59 HRS TOTAL FLT TIME, OF WHICH, 3 HRS WAS IN THE CESSNA 172. THE LEFT FRONT SEAT PLT (NORMAL PSN FOR THE PIC) HAD 120 HRS OF FLT TIME, OF WHICH, 52 HRS WAS IN THE CESSNA 172. BEFORE RENTING THE ACFT, THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT PLT WAS TOLD OF THE ACFT'S LIMITED PAYLOAD & RWY LENGTH REQUIREMENTS DUE TO THE AUXILIARY FUEL CAPACITY. THE ACFT HAD BEEN REFUELED TO ITS CAPACITY AT THE EN ROUTE ARPT. DURING TAKEOFF FROM THE 3100 FT RWY, THE ACFT LIFTED OFF, SETTLED BACK ONTO RWY & LIFTED OFF AGAIN. THE ACFT CLIMBED WITH A STEEP NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE TO ABOUT 200 TO 250 FT, THEN IT ENTERED A STEEP DSCNT & CRASHED. THE WIND WAS RPRTD TO BE ALIGNED WITH THE RWY AT 10 KTS & THE TEMP WAS ABOUT 90 DEG. THE ACFT WAS ESTD TO HAVE BEEN LOADED ABOUT 120 LBS OVER ITS MAX WT LIMIT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. DENSITY ALT WAS APRX 2100 FT.
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: 120 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 66 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,212 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 11, 1989; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Gordon Air Services
The flight
- Departed from: 3J1 at 6:00 pm
- Destination: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,100 ft by 70 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from NBC, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.