Cessna 172 accident near Ridgeland, South Carolina, October 14, 1989
On October 14, 1989 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N734PL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ridgeland, South Carolina (Ridgeland airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE AIRSPEED AND FAILED TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 1989 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ridgeland, South Carolina · Ridgeland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N734PL · no longer on the register · serial 17269006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN LONG AND SUBSEQUENTLY RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE REPORTED.
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: 2,099 hours in all; 72 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,710 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 8, 1989; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3J1 Ridgeland SC at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 3,100 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from 73J
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.