Cessna 182Q accident near Mt Pleasant, South Carolina, September 24, 1989
On September 24, 1989 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N735BN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt Pleasant, South Carolina (East Cooper airport). It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO SLOW THE AIRCRAFT TO THE PROPER LANDING SPEED AT THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT OR GO AROUND. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, TAILWIND, LACK OF AIRPORT FACILITIES (UNICOM NOT OPERATING AND WINDSOCK DAMAGED), WET RUNWAY/HYDROPLANING CONDITIONS, AND MUDDY TERRAIN BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 1989 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mt Pleasant, South Carolina · East Cooper · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N735BN · no longer on the register · serial 18265296
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO SURVEY THE AREA & PHOTOGRAPH PROPERTY DAMAGE CAUSED BY HURRICANE HUGO. WHILE IN THE AREA, THE WX BEGAN TO DETERIORATE & THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND AT EAST COOPER ARPT. HE RPRTD THAT WHILE LANDING WITH A TAILWIND, THE ACFT FLOATED OVER HALFWAY DOWN THE RWY BEFORE TOUCHING DOWN. HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON THE REMAINING (WET) RWY. AFTER DEPARTING THE RWY, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED MUDDY TERRAIN & NOSED OVER. THE PLT RPRTD HE DID NOT SEE THE WINDSOCK DUE TO ITS LOCATION & SHREDDED/DIRTY CONDITION (FROM HURRICANE DAMAGE). ALSO, HE NOTED THAT UNICOM WAS NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO THE LACK OF ELECTRICAL POWER AT THE ARPT. THE PLT ESTD THE WX WAS: 1500' OVC, VIS 3 MI WITH LIGHT RAIN & FOG, WIND 15 TO 20 KTS. APRX 13 MI WEST AT CHARLESTON, SC, THE 1550 EDT WX WAS IN PART: 2300' OVC, VIS 7 MI, WIND FROM 050 DEG AT 12 KTS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,187 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 242 in the last 90 days; 72 in the last 30 days; 1,086 as pilot in command; 743 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CAE Columbia SC at 7:30 pm
- Destination: CAE Columbia SC
- Runway 17, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 15 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:50 pm from CHS, 13 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.