Cessna 180J accident near W. Columbia, South Carolina, March 4, 1989
On March 4, 1989 at about 5:54 pm local time, a Cessna 180J, registered N601RF, was substantially damaged in an accident near W. Columbia, South Carolina (Columbia Metropolitan airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER TORQUING OF THE ATTACHMENT BOLT DURING INSTALLATION BY UNKNOWN PERSON(S), WHICH RESULTED IN THE SEPARATION OF THE BOLT AND NUT AND SUBSEQUENT SEPARATION OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR FROM THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 1989 · about 5:54 pm local time
- Place
- W. Columbia, South Carolina · Columbia Metropolitan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180J · all 180Js on the register
- Registration
- N601RF · registry record · serial 18052560
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE DURING LDG ROLLOUT. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE AN7-20A ATTACHMENT BOLT & MS20365-720C NUT HAD STRIPPED & SEPARATED. THE BOLT EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF HAVING BEEN LOOSE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE LOGS REVEALED NO ENTRIES PERTAINING TO RT MLG MAINTENANCE, OR ANY AIRFRAME REPAIRS, WHICH WOULD HAVE REQUIRED REMOVAL & REINSTALLATION OF THE GEAR.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,600 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 111 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,175 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 24, 1989; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TSO Carrollton OH at 2:15 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0, 4,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from CAE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N601RF 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.